Warangal: “With the prestigious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project on the verge of completion, there is a need for Kaleswaram temple area to be developed as a tourist destination and a spiritual hub. The state government is keen on this endeavour and Rs 100 crore will be allocated in the next budget for this purpose,” announced Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao when he inspected the project site on Sunday.
The Chief Minister visited the Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy temple and Parvati temple on the banks of river Godavari in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. He and his wife Shobha spent some time in the temple premises speaking to the priests.
Mr Rao said that since the Kaleswaram project would gain prominence, lakhs of people would visit the place daily and hence, the area around the temple must be developed. He instructed district collector Vasam Venkateshwarlu to procure 600 acres of land for the expansion and development of the temple. Sources said this includes government, private and forest lands. The CM also wants to have a Kalyana Mandapam and a place for discourses on the premises.
“On completion of the Kaleshwaram barrage, the water from river Godavari will be lifted to flow for 170 km until it touches the feet of Dharmapuri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. With the blessings of Kalesh-wara Mukteswara Swamy, around 45 lakh acres of agricultural land will be irrigated for both crops (Kharif and Rabi). Expansion plans should include construction of residential quarters for the priests besides a Vedic school and a college. Come up with proposals for an integrated temple complex,” Mr Rao told officials.
Ministers Yerraballi Dayakar Rao and Koppula Eswar, MP Joginapalli Santosh Kumar, chief advisor to government Rajiv Sarma, advisor to government Anurag Sharma, chief secretary S.K. Joshi and CMO secretary Smita Sabharwal accompanied the CM on his visit.
KCR to hold Maha Yagaon opening of project
With the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project nearing completion, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekar Rao has proposed to conduct a maha yaga at the Kaleshwara Muktesh-wara Swamy temple. Mr Rao said that for rituals like yaga, the temple which is on the banks of river Godavari would be ideal. He also said that Sringeri Sharada Peetham seer Bharathi Teertha Maha-swami would be invited to inaugurate the temple reconstruction.
Mr Rao remembered how during the struggle for Telangana state the sight of the Godavari at Ramagundam used to bring tears to his eyes. “I used to pray to the almighty for the waters of the river to flow into Telangana and used to drop coins.
Today, I feel my prayers are answered and the problems of Telangana state are being addressed,” the CM said.
MLAs Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy and Dasari Manohar Reddy and MLCs Naradasu Lakshman Rao and Bhanu Prakash accompanied the CM.
