Vijayawada: Special plans for VIP pilgrims

Vijayawada: The Sri Durga Malleswara Swami temple authorities have proposed to construct cottages on the River Krishna bund for VIPs and to provide them special darshan timings to avoid disturbance to the Sarvadarsanam queue.

As of now, the Kanakadurga temple does not have any facility for the stay of VIPs nor any separate queues for such visitors.

Following bifurcation and the state government’s decision to build a capital city close to Vijayawada, the rush of VIP devotees to the temple has increased dramatically. This has often caused disruptions to the general devotees queue.

Temple executive officer V. Koteswaramma has sent proposals to the government seeking at least 15 acres of land alongside the River Krishna in the Amaravati capital region to construct the cottages. If the government accepts the proposal, the cottages will be built for the convenience of VIPs.

As per the proposal, the Durga temple authorities are ready to purchase the land at the price paid for the land allocated for the temple to be constructed in Amaravati region by the TTD. Durga temple officials are planning to construct 100 to 116 dormitories in the 15 acres site sought. According to ms Koteswaramma, donors are ready to construct the cottages on river bund for temple use.

The EO told this newspaper, “The proposal seeking 15 acres for construction of the cottages was sent to the government. The funds to purchase the land in the limits of the capital region are ready. There are so many donors ready to come forward for this project.” She added, “We hope that the state government will sanction the land soon.”

Ms Koteswaramma said that the temple would fix the donation amount for the scheme at about Rs 5 lakh. “However, the scheme would be finalised by the temple board after the preliminary procedures are completed,”  she added.

Apart from this, the temple administration also plans to construct dormitories on the site acquired from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at Kummaripalem for Bhavani devotees.

For this, the temple officials have sought the support of the Ministry of Tourism’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).

The temple officials plan to develop that site at Kummaripalem at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore.

It would have dormitories, parking for vehicles to be used by the pilgrims and also a pathway leading to the temple.

Ms Koteswaramma stated that the proposals for PRASAD scheme were sent to the tourism ministry and she hoped that will be accepted.

“We will start work as soon as we get a positive response from the Central government,” Ms Koteswaramma said.