The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will take up a project to renovate the inn and dharmasala in its possession at Varanasi and provide better pilgrim facilities.
TDB president K. Ananthagopan said on Tuesday that moves were on to renovate the facilities on a war footing. He said the dilapidated structures were in need of urgent repair. “The move is also aimed at preventing alienation of the prized property worth crores of rupees,” he said.
A team led by Mr. Ananthagopan had recently inspected the premises housing the inn and the dharmasala that were handed over to the TDB by the erstwhile ruling family of Travancore, the original owners of the property. Addressing a meeting of the Keralite community in Kashi, he said the renovation work would commence in a month.
TDB member P.M. Thankappan, Devaswom Commissioner B.S. Prakash and Chief Engineer Ajithkumar participated in the meeting. A seven-member committee comprising Keralites settled in Varanasi was constituted.
The inn and the dharmasala together are housed in a two-storied structure of more than 4,000 sq ft. The inn also has a temple within it.
