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Published – June 01, 2024 12:05 am IST – VELLORE
District Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi and M. Kalimuthu, Superintending Archaeologist, during the inauguration of the food court inside Vellore Fort on Friday. | Photo Credit: Venkatachalapathy C
Vellore Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi inaugurated the first food court inside the Vellore fort complex on Friday.
Accompanied by M. Kalimuthu, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI (Chennai Circle), Ms. Subbulaxmi inspected various features at the new amenity. “The new facility will be helpful for visitors to the fort as they no longer will need to go outside the fort’s premises for food. Quality of the food served at the facility will be monitored regularly,” K. Akalya, Junior Conservation Assistant In-Charge, ASI (Vellore Circle), told The Hindu.
Built at a cost of ₹73 lakh by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the food court is part of its efforts to promote historical sites and monuments in the State by improving the basic amenities provided to the visitors. The fort, located near the Jalakandeswarar temple, was built during the Vijayanagara period, so that devotees to the Shiva temple could make use of the facility.
With a spacious veranda, the food court can accommodate at least 50 – 60 persons at a time. Cuisines from both the North and South of India will be served at the new facility as a large number of people from northern States visit the town and the Sripuram temple on the outskirts of the town. Snacks, chaat items, beverages and ice creams will also be available here. The food court would be open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on all days including Sundays as on Sundays the flow of visitors will be double the usual.
Spread over 137 acres at the centre of Old Town, the fort has 53 colonial buildings where families of the Mysore king, Hyder Ali, and his son, Tipu Sultan, spent their last years as prisoners. Currently, a few of these buildings are being used as offices by the Vellore taluk, Public Works Department (PWD), district treasury and Forest Department.
Along with the ASI, the Vellore Corporation also has been executing various beautification and public utility works in the fort under the Smart Cities Mission scheme at a cost of ₹9 crore. The civic body installed over 1,000 ornamental lamps, covering the entire parapet wall of the fort. It also laid a 2.4 km-carriageway that leads to important monuments and buildings inside the fort.
On the occasion, Revenue Divisional Officer, Vellore, K. Kavitha and S. Jayaraman, Executive Engineer, PWD (Vellore), were also present.
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