Kondagattu to Get 6-km ‘Giri Pradakshina’ Route on Par with Arunachalam

KARIMNAGAR: Following directives from the state government and renewed momentum from senior leaders, the Jagtial district administration has fast-tracked the development of a Giri Pradakshina path around the Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Kondagattu.

District collector B. Satya Prasad, along with officials from concerned departments, conducted a ground-level inspection of the proposed 6 km route on Monday.

The project aims to recreate the spiritual experience of renowned shrines such as Arunachalam and Simhachalam. At present, the route comprises three kilometres of ghat road and three kilometres of raw soil path. The collector directed officials to prepare a master plan for a 50-foot-wide roadway, consisting of a 30-foot main road and a 20-foot dedicated footpath for devotees undertaking the circumambulation.

During the inspection, the collector said devotee comfort must be the top priority. He instructed the revenue, forest, R&B and panchayat raj departments to provide drinking water facilities, toilets and rest areas at regular intervals along the route, besides modern street lighting and designated parking zones.

Of the total stretch, about 1,150 metres fall under the forest department’s jurisdiction. To address this, a proposal has been made to transfer endowments land to the forest department in exchange for the land required for the project.

The initiative gathered momentum following the January 3 visit of Pawan Kalyan, during which he laid the foundation stone for the ₹35.19-crore Vayuputra Sadan, a 96-room guest house funded by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). During the visit, he highlighted the spiritual significance of Giri Pradakshina, describing it as a protective spiritual practice for the nation.

Local leaders, including Adluri Laxman Kumar and Medipally Satyam, have also played a key role in pushing for resolution of land and administrative issues. The district administration is now preparing a detailed project report (DPR) along with cost estimates to be submitted to the government for approval and funding. Once completed, the project is expected to transform Kondagattu into a major spiritual hub for devotees undertaking the sacred walk.

The inspection team included additional collector B. Raja Goud, DFO M. Ravi Prasad, Jagtial RDO Madhusudhan, and temple executive officer T. Srikanth Rao.