Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the groundwork for building a new airport at Sabarimala has started after obtaining the necessary permissions.
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Vijayan said this while inaugurating a major road project in the Pathanamthitta district where the famous hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa is located.
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"Process has been initiated to construct a new airport for Sabarimala. Necessary permissions for the same have been received," Vijayan said at an online event.
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Constructed as part of the 100-day programme of the Left Front government, he said the project was initiated to speed up the development process.
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During the two-month annual pilgrimage season in November-December, lakhs of pilgrims arrive at the shrine from various parts of the country and also abroad. In the 2022 season, the Travancore Devaswom Board stated that nearly 30 lakh pilgrims visited the temple.
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Vijayan also said funds have been allocated for the highways passing through the coastal and high-range regions of the state.
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Public Works Department Minister P A Mohammed Riyas, who also spoke during the event, said 231 projects worth Rs 2,610 crore have been included as part of the 100-day programme of the ruling front.
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"Out of the 231 projects, 71 have been completed," Riyas said, adding that over Rs 48 crore was utilised to renovate 18 roads in the district.