Rajamahendravaram: Endowments department focuses on protection of chariots

Rajamahendravaram: The endowments department is issuing fresh guidelines to respective executive officers on how to protect chariots in the temples in the wake of Antarvedi temple incident. No proper protection measures or maintenance guidelines have been in place for many temple chariots in the district.

The chariot of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Vadapalli (Konaseema Tirupati) is kept in an open place for many years covered in just tarpaulin. The previous temple trust boards or even executive officers have not taken any initiative to construct a pucca rathasala.

When contacted, the present executive officer Satyanarayana Raju said because of land issue, the rathasala was not constructed. Now, suitable land has been identified, and steps taken to invite tenders, he added.

Meanwhile, the rathasala of ancient Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy temple in Korukonda has no doors, fencing and closed circuit cameras. Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy temple in Annavaram has adopted the temple seven years ago but nothing has been done to protect the chariot. An official of the temple said the Annavaram trust board officials visited the temple and decided to arrange CC cameras, doors and fencing to rathasala.

Speaking to The Hans India, endowments department assistant commissioner D L V Prasad said 10 temples have big chariots while the remaining have smaller ones. All the temple Eos were directed to take immediate steps for providing proper security for chariots, he said.