Rs 1 cr more for renovating pond near Padmanabha Swamy temple

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government will grant an additional Rs one crore to restore 'Padmatheertham', the holy temple tank located adjacent to the famed Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple here, to its past glory.

The tank is one of the oldest water bodies in the state capital.

State Minister for Devaswom V S Sivakumar said here today that the government had already allotted Rs 1.64 crore for the renovation of the tank and an additional Rs one crore would be allotted soon for the first phase of the programme.

He was speaking here after inaugurating the first phase of the renovation programme.

Slugde and other waste, deposited in the tank, had already been removed spending Rs 25 lakh from the initial amount, the Minister said.

The Padmatheertham renovation programme, planned to be implemented in two phases, is estimated to cost Rs 5 crore to Rs 7 crore.

Besdies the cleaning of the pond, the construction of separate bathing enclosures for men, women and children and the renovation of granite steps leading to the pond are also envisaged under the programme.

The renovation project is planned to be completed by May, 2016, Devaswom Minister's office added.