CNN
—

Managers of an ancient Hindu religious site in Malaysia plan to install escalators as an alternative for visitors who are unable or unwilling to climb the 272 steps that lead to temples and cave temples. There is.

of Batu Caves It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Malaysia. These serve as religious sites for Hindu worshipers and are the center of annual festivals. thaipusam annual festival.

The ruins, located a few miles north of the capital Kuala Lumpur, are thought to be around 400 million years old and are easily recognized by the towering rainbow staircase, making them popular among Instagrammers.

You currently have to climb 272 steps to reach the temple, which is located inside a limestone cave at the top.

Adding the escalator will make the site “more accessible,” a spokesperson for the site management board said at a press conference Friday.

“We hope for the government’s support as this escalator will enable disabled and elderly people who are unable to climb stairs to reach the main temple,” temple committee chairman R. Nadarajah said. .

Mr Nadarajah added that construction of the escalator and new “multipurpose hall” is scheduled to begin after this year’s Thaipusam festival on January 25.

Nadarajah said the construction cost of the hall is estimated to be around 35 million Malaysian ringgit (about $7,424). He did not say how much the escalator would cost.

Tourists visiting Malaysia flock to Batu Caves to see the famous Rainbow Stairs. The stairs were painted as part of the temple’s organizing committee’s efforts to attract more people to the site.

Batu Caves officials said the strategy was working, noting that the colorful staircase has become popular among Instagrammers.

However, the rejuvenation has also sparked controversy with the Malaysian Heritage Commission, which claims the staircase was painted before the renovation was approved.