Marudhamalai temple explores environmentally suitable site for proposed 184-ft Murugan statue

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The Marudhamalai Subramaniaswamy Temple in Coimbatore. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO PERIASAMY M

The administration of the Marudhamalai Murugan Temple in Coimbatore is exploring the possibility of identifying an environmentally suitable location for the proposed 184-ft-tall statue of Lord Murugan, the Madras High Court was informed.

The development comes in a writ petition filed before the court challenging the proposed construction of the statue at Marudhamalai. During the recent hearing, the Senior Counsel appearing for the temple administration submitted that the authorities were in the process of exploring the possibility of identifying a suitable location for the installation.

The court directed the temple administration to file a detailed report on the matter and posted the case for further hearing on October 9, 2026. It also ordered that status quo be maintained until then.

A senior temple official told The Hindu that the proposed statue was planned near the tonsuring complex at the foothills of Marudhamalai. Around 2.5 acres of land had been acquired from the panchayat and the State Highways Department for the proposed project, the official said.

The statue alone is estimated to cost around ₹110 crore and the project is proposed to be taken up with funds contributed by donors, he said.

An amicus curiae appointed by the court in connection with the case visited the proposed site last year to assess the issues involved.

The temple official said the administration would submit its report before the court during the next hearing. The official did not comment on whether the proposed location would be altered or whether another site had been identified for the statue.

The proposed statue has been the subject of legal scrutiny in view of concerns over its potential impact on the environment in the ecologically sensitive Marudhamalai forest area.

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