Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple to get tourist-friendly touches without affecting heritage areas

CHENNAI: In a bid to attract more travellers, the Tamil Nadu tourism department has decided to develop Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, the UNESCO World Heritage site, with more amenities.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram or Gangaikondacholeeswaram Temple is located in the Ariyalur district in Tamil Nadu. The temple derives its name from the ancient town, the capital of the Chola dynasty for over 250 years.

A senior official from the Tourism Department said that there will not be any change in the structure of the temple. "However, to lure more tourists, we have planned several tourist amenities around the temple, which is under the control of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC)," he said.

Stating that an e-ender has been already floated, he said the redevelopment would be done without disturbing heritage areas. "The lawns and gardening work next to the temple would also be developed with the help of experts in the field," he said adding that differently-abled-friendly ramps will also be installed.

More drinking water facilities, special guidance support, especially for travellers from abroad are on the anvil, the official said. "The development project will also help maintain the place clean around the temple," he said. The project is expected to be completed within one year.

The official said there is also a plan to develop audio content, which will be made available to tourists at the destinations through the installation of QR codes and map signages. "The content will be available in 12 languages that include Tamil, English, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Arabic," he said.