KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — 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.
Temple committee chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said the escalator is one of two projects that will begin this year after Thaipusam (January 25), along with constructing a multipurpose hall at RM35 million.
“We hope the government would assist us since this will allow the disabled and elderly who cannot climb the steps to reach the main temple,” he said during a press conference with Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong today.
Sim said the ministry will hold a Kesuma Madani programme at Batu Caves in conjunction with Thaipusam.
It will send 200 volunteers to Batu Caves to assist the temple committee in managing logistics during Thaipusam and 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
