By VEENA BABULAL AND L. SUGANYA
SELAYANG
streets@nstp.com.my
A COMPANY from India has been granted the development order for a cable car system in Batu Caves. The project, a joint venture between Damodar Ropeways, a Calcutta-based company, and the Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple committee, will take off in a month or two.
The long and steep climb of 272 steps to the Sri Subramania Swamy to the shrine will no longer be a problem for the elderly and disabled
The service caters for the elderly and the disabled, who cannot climb the 272 steps leading to the hilltop Sri Subramania Swamy temple.
Temple committee chairman Datuk R. Nadarajah said the RM10 million project was fully sponsored by Damodar Ropeways and would be completed in time for Thaipusam next year.
The cars would run from the cave temple complex car park on a 150m cable. However, the number of cars was still undecided.
"There are several technical conditions and guidelines to meet. But initial soil testing, geological surveys and other technical aspects have been covered. We have ongoing meetings with the company to discuss project updates," he said.
Meanwhile, for many of the elderly and disabled in the Hindu community, the cable car service was the answer to their prayers.
"I am getting older and can no longer take the crowd. There is a lot of pushing and shoving on the walk up the stairs during Thaipusam. The heat also makes it unbearable," said G. Sivanes, a 55-year-old diabetic patient who also suffers from hypertension.
"The cable car would also help the disabled folk and people like my 70-year-old mother, who are too weak to climb the stairs. She will be happy to be able to go up again after 15 years.
Photography enthusiast Joseph Jeremiah, 22, also welcomed the move. He said shutterbugs would be able to take pictures from new angles.
"It also gives me a better view of what is going on so I get better ideas for my pictures," he said, adding the cave temple complex was a great setting for pictures."
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