The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P.K. Sekar Babu on Sunday (February 1, 2026) inaugurated a ₹5.20-crore lift facility at the Marudhamalai Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Coimbatore.
The facility has been developed as a two-stage system to enable access to the hill shrine. Devotees will first take a lift from the parking area to a height of about 14 metres, walk along a designated pathway for around 35 metres, and then board a second lift that ascends a further eight metres. Together, the two lifts take devotees to the temple floor, located about 22 metres above the starting point. Each lift has a capacity of up to 20 persons.
The Minister attended programmes at the Manthiragiri Velauythaswami Temple at Senjerimalai in Sulur, where a foundation stone was laid for the construction of a new five-tier rajagopuram. He also took part in a ceremony to formally receive a gold-plated temple chariot made of teakwood and donated by benefactors.
At the Baladhandayuthapani Swamy Temple in Sukrawarpet in Coimbatore city, the Minister inaugurated a resting hall constructed on the land donated to the temple for the use of devotees. He later visited the Manneeswarar Swamy Temple in Annur, where he took part in a function to receive another gold-plated chariot by donors.
Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan, HR&CE Commissioner P.N. Sridhar, District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar and senior HR&CE officials were also present.
Published – February 01, 2026 08:48 pm IST
