TN to renovate 1000-pillar mandap

Chennai, Nov 28: The Tamil Nadu Government will renovate the '1000-pillar mandapam' at the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore.

State Tourism Minister N Suresh Rajan, who reviewed the functioning of the department and Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) at the Secretariat here yesterday, said Madurai town, an important tourist centre, would be developed at a cost of Rs 4.78 crore with Central aid.

Concrete roads would be laid on all four 'Chithirai' streets in the town, he added.

Under the project to develop less known tourist spots, a sum of Rs one crore had been earmarked to develop Elagiri hills in Vellore district, the Minister added.

Mr Rajan said TTDC would procure a Volvo bus at a cost of Rs 62 lakh to ply between Chennai and Tirupati. Nine old buses would be replaced with new ones fitted with modern amenities at a cost of Rs 1.17 crore.

Stating that revenue of Rs 50 lakh had so far been earned through tourism by road and rail as against Rs 32.38 lakh last year, the Minister said this year's revenue was expected to touch Rs 80 lakh.

UNI