From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 29: The Shravanabelagola Railway Station on the Hassan-Bengaluru Railway Line is slated to be opened in December as part of the Mahamastabhisheka of Gomateshwara in February 2018.

The State Government has decided to set aside Rs 575 crore for conducting the next Mahamastakabhisheka of Gomateshwara at Shravanabelgola in Hassan in February in 2018.

Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju, who is also the Hassan district in-charge minister, who held a review meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday, said over 40 lakh devotees from all over the country and even abroad were expected to participate in the Mahamastakabhisheka, which is held once in 12 years.

The event would be held for over a month, including major religious programmes for about nine days. 

To provide better connectivity to the visiting devotees, a railway station at Shravanabelgola on the Hassan-Bengaluru line would be opened in December, the minister said.

As the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has rejected a ropeway to the hill, the minister said it is decided to widen the steps by two feet either sides to ensure smooth movement of people standing in queues.

The district administration has been directed to acquire 700 acres to set up temporary tents to provide accommodation for the devotees, for whom about 25,000 tents would be erected, he said.

Of the Rs 575 crore earmarked for the entire month-long Mahamastakabhisheka, he said Rs 400 crore would be released to the Public Works Department for road and other construction works, Rs 2 crore for information department, Rs 5 crore for the Health Department and Rs 20 crore for the Tourism, The President, Vice-President and Prime Minister would be invited for the programme, he said.

Chief Secretary Aravind Jadhav gets 3 months Extension

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has granted three months extension to Karnataka’s Chief Secretary Aravind Jadhav, who was to retire on June 30.

Jadhav will continue as the Chief Secretary till September 30, the order said.

Earlier, the Centre granted extension to previous Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee three month extension.