Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 29 (IANS) The security cover at Kerala's Sree Padmanabhaswamy, where around Rs.1 lakh crore worth treasure was found stashed away, will be upgraded from three-tier to five-tier, an official said Thursday.


The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy late Wednesday.

The upgraded security is expected to cost Rs.40 crore.

The new five-tier security system would see the most modern security gadgets which would be in place shortly and be linked to a control room, according to officers.

The meeting decided to ask the state-run Centre for Earth Science Studies to conduct a probe for the network of underground tunnels that, legend says, exists in and around the temple.

It was in July this year that a committee appointed by the apex court stumbled upon six vaults in the temple. The treasure trove found in them has been estimated to be valued at more than Rs.one lakh crore, while one vault (B) remains to be opened.

The apex court recently ruled that the opening of vault B can wait and asked two different committees to begin steps to prepare a detailed inventory of the treasure. The process is expected to take at least a year.