Overview
- The Division Bench appointed Justice V.G. Arun on Tuesday after the previous chair, Justice S. Siri Jagan, died on January 24, leaving the committee unable to function well.
- The court reaffirmed the committee’s legal and court-given powers and said its recent suo motu steps were meant to aid, not replace, the panel’s work.
- The order tasks the chair with driving time-bound execution, linking the court, the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board, and keeping close oversight of projects.
- The chair must protect wildlife and forests by ensuring no project harms the Periyar Tiger Reserve or the Western Ghats, where the pilgrimage center sits.
- The master plan spans transport, waste, water, base camps, healthcare, communication and disaster readiness, with phases through 2050 and ₹390.2 crore in state funds recorded through 2025–26.