Batu Caves temple to get escalator this year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Batu Caves Hindu Temple Management will build an escalator at the tourist attraction this year as an alternative to the 272 steps for devotees and visitors to reach the Sri Subramaniar cave temple.

The temple committee chairman, Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said the escalator is one of two projects that would begin this year after Thaipusam, along with the construction of a multipurpose hall estimated to cost RM35 million.

"We hope the government would assist us since this will allow the disabled and elderly who are unable to climb the steps to reach the main temple," Nadarajah said during a press conference with Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong today.

Sim also said that the Human Resources Ministry will hold a Kesuma MADANI programme at Batu Caves in conjuction with the Thaipusam festival.

He said his ministry will send 200 volunteers to Batu Caves to assist the temple committee in managing logistics during Thaipusam as well as to set up a booth to provide employment information and register Indian youth for technical courses.

The booth will be set up with the cooperation of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) as the ministry aims for housewives from the Indian community to register for the Housewives Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) implemented by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) as well.

-- BERNAMA