Exactly a month after dropping the ₹69.7-crore Sree Narayana Guru spiritual circuit, the Centre has decided to revive it.
“The Ministry of Tourism has considered the revival of the Sivagiri Sree Narayana Guru Ashram-Aruvipuram-Kunnumpara Sree Subrahmania-Chembazhanthi Sree Narayana Gurukulam spiritual circuit,” Rajesh Kumar Sahu, Deputy Secretary, Swadesh Darshan Division, conveyed to Rani George, Secretary, Tourism, in a communication on Monday.
However, the Ministry will not revive the ₹85.23-crore spiritual circuit linking 133 places of worship in the State that was dropped along with the Narayana Guru circuit. The two projects had been approved under Swadesh Darshan, aimed at the development of theme-based tourist circuits, launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014-15.
Widespread protest
The move to revive the Sree Narayana Guru spiritual circuit comes in the wake of protests from various quarters. Besides the ruling LDF and the Opposition UDF, the Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom and those involved in promoting the ideals of the Guru had demanded that the Centre reconsider the decision.
Welcoming the decision, Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran said the pressure exerted by the government, joint agitations, and the united stand taken by all concerned had yielded results.
“The decision of the Ministry to hand over the execution of the project to the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) should be reversed,” Mr. Surendran said. Kerala Tourism should be entrusted with the execution of the project, he added.
Mr. Surendran also appealed to the Tourism Ministry to revive the spiritual circuit linking 133 places of worship in the State.
