TTD to cut Amaravati temple budget to Rs 30 crore

TIRUPATI: The ongoing war of words between the ruling YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam over the continuation of the state capital in Amaravati heated up further after the TTD Trust Board chief Y.V. Subba Reddy announced that the TTD will downsize the budget allocated for construction of the Lord Venkateswara temple in Amaravati from Rs 150 crore to Rs 30 crore.

Finding fault with the then government’s decision of spending the TTD money, Mr Subba Reddy told the media in Vijayawada on Friday that the TD-led government decided to ground the state capital in Amaravati region and subsequently directed the TTD to construct a Lord Venkateswara temple in the capital region to gain publicity for the party.

“Subsequent to the then state government's directive, the then TTD board of trustees unanimously resolved to take up the construction of the temple at a cost of Rs 150 crore. Construction in the 25 acres of land allotted to it  in Amaravati was planned,” he said.

Mentioning that they also felt that the construction of the temple by TTD in Amaravati was justified, Mr Subba Reddy said that the project cost has escalated and imposed an additional and unnecessary financial burden on the TTD after the then trust board resolved to include construction of Kalyana mandapam, auditorium and theme parks.

“Recently, TTD constructed Lord Venkateswara temple at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad by spending nearly Rs 30 crore. Now the same would be enough for the construction of temple at Amaravati instead of spending Rs 150 crore to complete the whole project,” he opined.

“We will review the budgetary allocation made to the project after the new trust board is formed,” Mr Reddy informed.