Batu Caves cultural centre to be completed in two years

KUALA LUMPUR: The Batu Caves temple committee has collected RM17 million to build the cultural centre and auditorium at the site.
The building will be located close to the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves.
Temple committee chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said the building, which includes a two-storey auditorium, cultural exhibition centres and shop lots, is worth RM25 million.
"As of now, we have RM17 million in hand, of which RM15 million was through the temple collection and the initial RM2 million which the government gave.
"So we can start the project in February," he said.
Nadarajah was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves temple with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
He said the project will take two years to complete but Batu Caves temple will still be open to devotees and visitors throughout the construction period.
"We will close off only the project area but we will still be open to the public," he added.
Nadarajah is the committee head of Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Dhevasthanam, Kuala Lumpur, which also oversees the Batu Caves temple management.
When asked the reason for the delay in starting the project despite receiving government allocations of RM2 million, he said the project plan was not approved by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS).
"We had to change the building plan twice because MPS did not give approval based on its terms and conditions.
"That's why the project was delayed for four years now," Nadarajah said.
He also noted that the project tender will be open next month.
Despite the visible lack of a crowd in Batu Caves since morning today, Nadarajah insisted there were 1.4 million people on site at that time.
He reiterated that all religious rituals and poojas will continue throughout the day despite the lunar eclipse scheduled to occur this evening.