Telangana: Fuel stations on Endowments lands still on paper

The objective behind leasing out temples lands for establishing fuel stations was to save them from encroachments, besides raising revenue for the temple managements.

Hyderabad: The Endowments department had drawn big plans to lease out lands belonging to different temples to oil companies for establishing fuel stations. However, the initiative failed to take off as planned by the officials for different reasons.

The objective behind leasing out temples lands for establishing fuel stations was to save them from encroachments, besides raising revenue for the temple managements. Officials had planned to conduct a study on identifying suitable land parcels that can be leased out for fuel stations but for reasons better known to the officials, not many land parcels were leased out so far. Save for a few temple managements like the Navagraha Hanuman temple at Ranigunj, Secunderabad, which had leased out a land parcel to set up a fuel station, not many such projects could not be taken up, a senior official from the department said.

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There were different reasons. Oil companies generally prefer areas that are more commercially viable and accessible for motorists. This apart, temple trusts also have different plans in leasing out lands as they prefer establishing halls, shops and other facilities, the official said.

A meeting is scheduled with Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Tuesday. Apart from measures to protect temple lands from encroachments, these issues could also be discussed, the official added.

Announcement of mandatory dress code at Sri Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple likely 

The Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, Yadadri is likely to announce a mandatory dress code for devotees participating in the Arjitha Sevas at the temple. The dress code is expected to be made mandatory from June 1.

Devotees participating in the Break Darshan, Nitya Kalyanam, Abhishekham and Vrathams would have to wear traditional dresses. Men would be asked to wear white dress probably dhoties and scarfs, while women would have to wear sarees, chudidhars or half sarees. The temple management is expected to make an official announcement in this regard in a few days.