Encroachments on 'Girivalam' path in Annamalai to be cleared

Tiruvannamalai: Widening and beautification work of the Girivalam path around the Annamalai hills in Tiruvannamalai is gaining momentum. The project, taken up under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Project, was allocated 65 crore by the state government.
The project was aimed to facilitate the devotees thronging the temple town to perform Girivalam during full moon days.During Chithra Pournami and Karthigai Maha Deepam festival, over 10 lakh devotees converge to offer prayers and perform Girivalam.
Officials in the district administration said that the government had sanctioned 25 crore in the first phase. Works such as laying the road, constructing median and lighting facility on the 2.8km stretch from the old Government Hospital to Chengam Junction are under progress. "The road will be widened from the existing 10 to 11 metres to 15 metres," said an official attached to the state highways department.
Collector A Gnanasekaran, who chaired a review meeting recently, instructed the revenue departments to mark the boundaries along the stretch to commence eviction of the encroachments. He has also instructed the officials of Tangedco to shift the electric poles and transformers in the Girivalam path to enable the Highways Department to expedite the process.