E-tenderswill have to pay Rs30 lakh for leasing out space for “one shop area”
auction money skyrocket this year as well for people who want to run commercial business at Sabrimala
Kochi: It would cost one a fortune to run commercial establishments at Sabarimala as the auction money skyrockets every year forcing licencees to fleece pilgrims in their bid to make a profit.According to sources, the e-tenders now realize nearly Rs30 lakh for leasing out space for “one shop area”, which means the licencee would have to hand over nearly Rs50,000 to the Travancore Devaswom Board every day.
“The amount quoted by bidders keeps on rising every year. Last year, there were cases when the highest bidder quoted over Rs 30 lakh for one shop area. The space for shops is leased out in areas like Sannidhanam, Marakootam and Pampa, among others. This year it would be more,” said a former TDB executive officer.When contacted, Sabarimala Executive Officer V.S. Jayakumar said the amount quoted by the highest bidders for shops is yet to be known. “We’re yet to open the e-tenders which will be done later today,” he said.
Various organizations like the NSS and the Hindu Aikya Vedi have raised demands that the auctioning of space for commercial eateries be done away with. “Just take this – if a licencee has to dole out Rs50,000 a single day, he has no other option but to fleece the devotees to recover the amount. Ultimately, the pilgrims suffer,” said Kummanam Rajasekaran, state general secretary, Hindu Aikya Vedi.
The TDB should even think of doing away with the system of auctioning space for commercial eateries at Sabarimala and Pampa. Instead, the board should provide more space for providing free food for pilgrims by voluntary organizations like the Ayyappa Seva Sangham in those places, he said.
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