Plea to PM Narendra Modi to upgrade Sabarimala as national pilgrimage site

SABARIMALA: A plea to upgrade the hill shrine of Lord Ayappa at Sabarimala as a national pilgrimage site has been made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the temple authorities.

"A request had been made personally to the Prime Minister for upgrading the status of Sabarimala to a national pilgrimage site," temple authorities said in a statement.

A project of Rs 2,000 crore development initiative of Sabarimala has also been submitted to the Centre and about Rs 500 crore package has been sought for the first phase of development, the statement said.

Temple authorities will be meeting the Prime Minister, who is expected to visit Kerala to inaugurate the 35th National Games. Forest Land is needed for further developing the Sabari Hills.

Twelve queue complexes will be constructed at Sabarimala for the easy movement of thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrine from all over the world. Tender procedures have been completed for three of them, it said.