Ahead of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage to Sabarimala, which is due to commence in a few days, the Kerala government has approved a staggering ₹ 377.8 crore for the overhaul of various roads used by Ayyappa devotees.
The substantial sum has been set aside for 82 roads spanning ten districts, the state's Finance Minister, KN Balagopal, confirmed on Sunday.
According to a statement from the Minister, while ₹68.90 crore has been sanctioned for 14 roads in Thiruvananthapuram and ₹54.20 crore for the renovation of 15 roads in Kollam, ₹40.20 crore has been earmarked for the repair of six roads in Pathanamthitta, where the hill shrine is located, he said in a statement.
According to the minister, the allocations for other districts are as follows: ₹36 crore for nine roads in Alappuzha, ₹35.20 crore for eight roads in Kottayam, ₹35.10 crore for five roads in Idukki, ₹32.42 crore for eight roads in Ernakulam, ₹44 crore for 11 roads in Thrissur, ₹27.30 crore for five roads in Palakkad, and ₹4.50 crore for one road in Malappuram.
This approval for the Sabarimala approach road repairs comes as the state is finalising multi-level preparations and elaborate arrangements at the hill shrine. The two-month-long annual pilgrimage is set to begin on November 16, with millions of devotees from both India and abroad expected to visit.
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