Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to lay the foundation stone for various development works at Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada this month, Deputy Chief Minister (Endowments) Kottu Satyanarayana said at a press conference at the Secretariat in Velagapudi, Guntur district, on Tuesday.
Before addressing the media, Mr. Satyanarayana chaired a review meeting with the Endowments Department officials at Secretariat, where he directed them to make all arrangements for the foundation stone ceremony which will be attended by the Chief Minister in Vijayawada.
He said that a technical committee was constituted for the redevelopment of Durga temple with different experts, which approved all these proposals.
Work on a ‘prasadam potu’, Annadanam building and Siva temple will commence shortly, he said, adding that these projects are being undertaken with the special grant of ₹70 crore sanctioned by the Chief Minister.
The Deputy Chief Minister observed that the government is considering alternative arrangements for the existing ghat road as it has not been built in accordance with Vastu.
He said that about 25,000 to 30,000 people take blessings of Kanaka Durga on daily basis and more than one lakh devotees attend the temple on all auspicious days.
A flyover for elevated queue line at the east side of Durga Nagar at the foothill of the temple is also proposed to construct, he added. In addition to that, a building will be constructed as an extension for the queue complex. At Homa Sala, another Puja Mandapa will be constructed for Kunkuma Puja, he added.
Different queue lines will be maintained for pilgrims, including free entry, ₹100, ₹300 and ₹500 apart from VIP entry. The VIPs will be allowed through a lift, he said.
Annadana Mandapam will be constructed for accommodating more than 1,800 devotees at a time and it will be a two-storied structure. On the surface of the Annadana Mandapa, the queue line flyover will land. From there, a staircase will be constructed for both entry into the temple and exit from the temple. The pilgrims who exit from the temple will go down to the Annadanam mandapam for taking Prasadam, the Deputy Chief Minister explained.
An automated car parking place to be created and inviting tenders for this. This will be on a seven storied parking place, and the pilgrims will get their car within one minute.
He said that this month itself, the Chief Minister will lay a foundation stone for all these development works.
In Srisailam also, there are proposals for construction of queue complex, Sala Mandapa and others with ₹150 crore. About 220 Deluxe Rooms and guest houses are also completed.
