Minister Lays Foundation for Karnataka Bhavan at Pampa to Facilitate Sabarimala Pilgrims

Pathanamthitta, July 19, 2013: The State government will convene a meeting of the Ministers and officials of four South Indian States in August to explore the possibility of scaling up pilgrim amenities in Sabarimala and its major base camps for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage beginning mid-November, Devaswom Minister V.S. Sivakumar said here on Thursday.

The Minister was laying the foundation stone for the Karnataka Bhavan at Nilackal, near Pampa. The building will come up on two hectares allotted to the Karnataka government at the base camp.

Mr. Sivakumar said the Karnataka government had set apart Rs. 100 crore for pilgrim amenities in Sabarimala. Karnataka Bhavan, estimated at Rs. 10 crore, was in the first phase of the projects it had planned.

The first phase would have on its agenda construction of 2,000 lockers, 740 toilets and bathrooms and other amenities. Karnataka Bhavan would have a modern operation theatre.

Mr. Sivakumar said Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry would be allotted two hectares each.

The Andhra Pradesh government had made a budgetary allocation for Andhra Bhavan at Nilackal.

He said the Karnataka government would construct a guest house in the second phase.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 19, 2013.