'Karnataka spends Rs 20 cr on Bhavan at Sabarimala'

Government has spent Rs 20 crore for constructing Karnataka Bhavan at Sabarimala in Kerala for boarding facilities for devotees from the state to the pilgrim centre every year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today. He said, he would seek information from Kerala on the status of the case on construction of Karnataka Bhavan, pending before a bench of the Kerala HC.

The bench had stayed the construction at Nilakkal on the land given by the Travancore Devaswom Board in May this year.

The original estimated project cost was Rs 10 crore. "If the stay on building the Karnataka Bhavan still exists, then we will try to get it vacated," he said.

The building will house a dormitory for policemen and canteen on the ground floor. The first floor will house dormitories for men and women separately, Siddaramaiah said. The second floor will have 22 common rooms for pilgrims to stay and third floor will have six rooms for VIPs, he said.

The issue was raised by JD-S member Gopalaiah asking the government to provide an update on the construction of the building in Kerala.