Now, govt chants makeover mantra for Rajanna’s abode at Vemulawada

Hyderabad: After Yadagirigutta, the government's focus seems to be on one of the prominent Shaiva kshetras in the State, Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada, as it has allocated Rs 500 crore for the shrine’s makeover this year.

While the government had allocated Rs 200 crore for Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Yadagirigutta, the Vemulawada shrine gets a large chunk of funds with various development activities planned in the coming year. The government had constituted the Vemulawada Temple Area Development Authority under the Telangana Urban Areas (Development) Act, 1975, for the development of the temple complex and its surrounding six villages, including Sankarpally, Chandragiri, Marupaka, Jayavaram, Thettekunta, Arepalli, and seven R&R colonies, besides the Vemulawada Municipality.

According to officials, the government has so far spent Rs 77.90 crore on the development activities of the temple and its surrounding areas. The draft master plan for the development of the temple complex and its surrounding areas was prepared by the authority. Officials informed that, while the base map for VTDA was being prepared, the master plan, in consultation with the town and country planning departments, was in progress. The DTCP has also approved the plan to widen the internal road leading to the temple in the town up to 80 feet. The acquisition of 35 acres of private patta land for the expansion of temple Koneru was completed; compensation was also paid to the pattedars, they informed.

The district collector has taken up the land acquisition for the government's proposal to expand the Baddi Pochamma temple. The officials said the award was passed and compensation was paid for acquiring 4,704 sq yards. An amount of Rs 5 crore was earmarked for laying a separate pipeline from Nampalli to the Vemulawada temple for the construction of a 1,100 kl sump at the temple to meet the drinking water requirements of pilgrims under the Mission Bhagiratha. Officials said the work was completed.

In addition to the temple’s development, other activities proposed to be taken up in Vemulawada and its surrounding areas were the construction of a bus station, cottages, a pilgrim facilitation centre, the Veda Pathashala, Baddi Pochamma Temple, and Nampalligutta.