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This is an archive article published on January 3, 2008

After some divine blessings, loosen your pockets a bit

Next time you arrive at a religious hot spot in quest for cosmic relief...

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Next time you arrive at a religious hot spot in quest for cosmic relief, your deliverance could come at a shopping mall. After hospitality majors, real estate companies are now setting their sights on major pilgrimages in the country. Chennai-based Marg Construction is planning to set up a mall in the temple town of Tirupati, which will be the first-of-a-kind in India.

Other construction majors are also mulling malls and shopping centres at religious hot spots thronged by lakhs of devotees every month.

Nearly two crore pilgrims visit Tirupati every year. 8220;Devotees visit Tirupati on a daily basis and many stay there for at least a day. Moreover, many of them are not sure when they would get a darshan. A mall in Tirupati will assure people of a good shopping experience,8221; says Shankar Naganathan, chief executive officer, real estate commercial, Marg Constructions.

The area of the proposed mall would be upwards of four-lakh sq ft. The mall would stock items such as watches, fashion jewellery, perfumes and gift items.Explaining the rationale behind the choice of goods, Naganathan said his company wanted to target the impulsive consumer. The revenue model would be lease-driven.

Hotel chains have already targeted religious destinations. Fortune Park Hotels, a subsidiary of ITC, has a presence in Tirupati. Similarly, Ginger Hotels, a Tata venture, is present in Haridwar.

 

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