KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — The construction of an escalator at the Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves will not involve the pathway with the 272 steps leading to the cave temple of Sri Subramaniar, according to the Subramaniar Swamy Temple Committee chairman, Tan Sri R. Nadarajah.

He explained that the construction would be carried out on the right side of the limestone hill leading to the cave temple to preserve its natural beauty.

"If the project is to be expedited, we can build the escalator on the stairs, as we currently have four staircases. We can take the left and right sides of the stairs to construct the escalator. However, the natural features of Batu Caves will be lost and it will look ugly,” he told Bernama.

He added that the project aims to convenience elderly devotees and children, facilitating their movement to the temple.

On January 19, the management of the Batu Caves Hindu Temple reported plans to build an escalator in the tourist attraction area this year as an alternative to the 272 steps that visitors and Hindu devotees need to climb to reach the cave temple of Sri Subramaniar.

Nadarajah said that the escalator is one of two projects that will commence after the Thaipusam celebration, along with the construction of a multipurpose hall estimated to cost around RM35 million.

He added that Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has expressed commitment to implement the projects, and all plans are progressing smoothly, pending approval from the Technical Committee for the Development of Sensitive Environmental Areas in Selangor.

Meanwhile, he appreciated the government’s commitment to allocate development funds to the Subramaniar Swamy Temple Committee for the construction of the multipurpose hall, completing the Indian Cultural Centre development project there.

"This Indian Cultural Centre will serve as a hub for the public to immerse themselves and understand the culture of the Indian community in Malaysia. The centre will feature food stalls, art and music exhibitions, museums, and more,” he said, adding that the hall will be able to accommodate 3,000 people at any one time.

Earlier, the government agreed to assist the Subramaniar Swamy Temple Committee, Batu Caves, in terms of development funding, with the matter receiving approval in a meeting between Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday. — Bernama