NEW DELHI, INDIA, 29 September, 2005: Infrastructure development has opened an unusual avenue for investors looking for long-term returns which could be around major pilgrim centres in the country. The first major pilgrim site slated for such development and environment management would be the Sabrimala Temple of Lord Shree Ayyappan, in Kerala. The total project cost, estimated at US$227 million, would be raised from the market by the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS). Although no details have been finalized yet the Joint Managing Director of IL&FS, Mr Hari Sankaran, said, “It could be a specific purpose fund raised with the word Sabarimala.” This could be the first such project in the country where environmental infrastructure management is being undertaken at a religious site. Since the temple is located inside a reserve forest everything done has an environmental impact. This includes building proper facilities for pilgrims to queue up for darshan, roads, sanitation, sewerage, water supply, river clean up, parking bays and the likes. A joint venture company would be formed between the Kerala Government and the trustee body of the Sabrimala Temple. The project is expected to be completed in four to five years. Religious centers in the country are usually highly polluted on account of the large number of human gatherings. In recent years, crowd has increased substantially and among the projects could be taken up, include the Guruvayyur Temple in Kerala, Kamakshya Temple in Assam and Mathura Temple in Uttar Pradesh.
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