Kondagattu will be made spiritual and tourism hub, says CM KCR
The Chief Minister inquired about the availability of water resources including streams, tanks and other water bodies in and around the hillocks
Hyderabad: Unveiling a grand plan to transform Kondagattu into a major pilgrim centre, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday allocated Rs 500 crore for the development of Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple at Kondagattu in Jagtial district in an extent of 800 acres.
This is in addition to the Rs 100 crore announced in the State budget for 2023-24, with the Chief Minister stating that the State government was ready to spend even Rs 1,000 crore for development of the temple and its surroundings into a major spiritual and tourism hub in the country.
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The Chief Minister, who visited the temple to inspect and explore the possibilities for redevelopment of the hill shrine and its surroundings, spent nearly an hour walking around the temple premises and said he would undertake multiple trips to the temple until the reconstruction work was completed over the next three years.
In a meeting with the officials, temple architects and priests for nearly two hours, Chandrashekhar Rao reviewed the existing conditions and gave instructions to all departments on measures to be taken for renovation of the temple in strict adherence to Agama Shastra. He directed officials to prepare a draft master plan for the temple’s renovation, catering to the needs of increasing rush of devotees in future, with all grandeur and facilities.
The Chief Minister insisted that the temple should be renovated in accordance with the Vaishnava norms, the Agama Shastras and Vaastu, without disturbing the presiding deity or the sanctum sanctorum. He wanted officials and architects to conduct extensive and micro level meetings for redevelopment of the Kondagattu temple on the lines of the Yadadri redevelopment project.
He reminded that lakhs of devotees who undertake Hanuman Deeksha visit the temple in large numbers and facilities should be increased to accommodate even a rush of 10 lakh devotees. He wanted the entire infrastructure to be strengthened such that devotees do not feel any inconvenience.
He also inquired about various facilities for devotees including queue lines, transportation facilities, entry and exit points for the temple, lodging and boarding facilities and other amenities. They were directed to make arrangements for supplying water from the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme to meet the temple’s needs.
Yadadri temple architect Anand Sai was instructed to hire sculptors for reconstruction of the Kondagattu temple. As the redevelopment project was expected to take three years, it was suggested for construction of Balalayam adhering to Agama Shastra.
Officials were directed to redevelop the Pushkarini with separate Pushkarinis for men and women devotees adjacent to the Kalyana Katta.
The Chief Minister inquired about the availability of water resources including streams, tanks and other water bodies in and around the hillocks. Under Mission Bhagiratha, adequate drinking water was already being supplied atop the hillock. Officials were asked to invite donations for construction of cottages and to allocate land for reconstruction of existing cottages.
Chandrashekhar Rao instructed CMO Special Secretary Bhupal Reddy to draft proposals for development of the Kondagattu reserve forest on the lines of Bandipur reserve forest on the Mysuru-Ooty road. The plan accords top priority on expansion of the ghat road to prevent road accidents.
Endowments officials were directed to publish books on the Sthala puranam (temple history) of Kondagattu. The Tourism department officials were to develop facilities to promote spiritual tourism and take up constructions in the form of a circuit enabling devotees to complete darshan of the presiding deity followed by Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Venkateshwara, Bethala Swamy temple and Lord Sri Rama Padukalu.
Earlier, Chandrashekhar Rao conducted an aerial survey of the temple and its surroundings.
Rajya Sabha MP Divakonda Damodar Rao, Ministers Koppula Eeshwar, A Indrakaran Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman Vinod Kumar, MLAs, MLCs and others accompanied the Chief Minister.
