Vemulawada Road Widening Works Start After 50 Years
"K. Chandrasekhar Rao had promised ₹100 crore for the temple’s development, but never fulfilled it. In doing so, he not only betrayed the devotees but also the presiding deity Rajanna” : Vemulawada MLA Aadi Srinivas
KARIMNAGAR: After more than five and a half decades, the long-pending road widening and developmental works around the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple have finally started, bringing relief to devotees and residents of the temple town Vemulawada in Rajanna Sircilla district.
With the number of devotees visiting the temple increasing daily, many have faced severe difficulties reaching the shrine from the Thippapur bus stand due to narrow roads and encroachments by shops on either side of the approach road.
Fulfilling a pre-election promise, the Congress government has now started not only developmental works at the temple but also road widening from the Moolavagu Bridge to the Rajanna Temple.
Back in 1971, based on a request by the then CESS chairman Juvvadi Narsing Rao, the then collector of the erstwhile Karimnagar district, Venkataramana, had prepared a proposal for the widening project. However, opposition from certain local leaders stalled the initiative.
Years later, during the tenure of Smitha Sabharwal as the Karimnagar collector, fresh proposals were made to expand the road to 100 feet. Though initial markings were completed, the project was dropped due to political pressure.
Since the formation of Telangana state, the number of devotees visiting the temple has surged big time. In recent years, the frequency of VIP visits has also increased. Devotees now arrive not only from across Telangana but also from neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
Vemulawada’s population has also grown from 10,000 to nearly 60,000, further straining access to the temple, especially during weekends and Mondays. Even walking from Thippapur bus stand to the temple had become difficult for many.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, district collector Sandeep Kumar Jha said the road widening work, spanning 270 metres with an 80-foot width, has begun from Moolavagu Bridge to the temple, at an estimated cost of ₹47 crore.
As part of the project, 322 structures were identified, of which 270 have been demolished. The government issued compensation cheques to the affected families. However, 82 individuals approached the High Court and secured stay orders. Out of them, 30 have since accepted compensation.
The government has deposited compensation amounts for the petitioners under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act (LARR) a month ago, the collector added.
Meanwhile, over 80 per cent of those who received compensation, along with local residents, have welcomed the government’s initiative. They expressed appreciation for the long-overdue developmental work and extended full support to the officials.
They also alleged that certain people, influenced by opposition political parties, are trying to stall the project by filing court petitions. “When many displaced families have already accepted compensation, what compels others to oppose the move? Now that the government has deposited the compensation in LARR, even they appear unsure,” they remarked.
In a recent public event in Vemulawada, Government Whip and Vemulawada MLA stated that the Congress government has sanctioned ₹47 crore for road widening and ₹150 crore for temple development to address the challenges faced by devotees and residents.
He noted that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stone for both the road and temple development works on November 20, 2023. He also criticised the previous BRS government for neglecting the temple over a decade in power. “K. Chandrasekhar Rao had promised ₹100 crore for the temple’s development, but never fulfilled it. In doing so, he not only betrayed the devotees but also the presiding deity Rajanna,” he alleged.