Expert Panel on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram submitted Report

The expert panel to decide on the security, inventory and opening the kallara (vault) B in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram informed the Supreme Court that a year was required to complete the entire exercise. Also the panel’s report informed that a total sum of Rs. 2.98 crore would be needed to meet all the expenses on videography, photography, providing infrastucture and strengthening security cover.
A Bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice A.K. Patnaik on 2 September  2011 had asked the Supreme Court Registry to give copies of the 75-page report submitted by the panel to the court to the parties concerned for their response and posted the matter for further hearing on 12 September.

The Supreme Court had appointed the panel on 21 July to examine whether there was a need to open the secret vault B in the temple. The panel had to organise inventory of all valuables and take videography and photography, to examine which articles could be used for regular use in the temple and which could be kept for public view. The panel was to draw a long term plan for maintenance of the valuables and to prepare a security scheme.

The panel, in its interim report mentioned that regarding the opening of kallara/vault B, a devaprasnam was conducted and the kallara ‘B' was not opened. Further orders from the court were awaited regarding the opening of the vault. The panel, however opined that the opening of kallara B was required to ascertain the quantity and quality of the items stored inside, for inventory management, for ascertaining security measures, and for documentation of all artefacts/treasure items.

The panel proposed to take 3D pictures of the items in all the kallaras. Since the jewellery were being stored in iron boxes, there was a possibility of corrosion, the items would then be required to be put in wooden boxes. Further, the jewels put in plastic pouches would have to be removed and stored in a better manner.
The panel wanted the court to appoint a gold purity analyser for valuation of gold jewellery. It wanted a digital mechanism put in place for the jewellery. The panel  asked for surveillance through closed circuit televisions and wanted an LCD TV installed.