Vijayawada Utsav to Generate Revenue, Safeguard Temple Lands: Kollu Ravindra
Organisers give Rs 45 lakh; land used for 56 days to raise funds for temple upkeep
Vijayawada: The state government is taking steps to safeguard the properties of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Godugupeta in Machilipatnam and ensure income generation for its future development, said Minister Kollu Ravindra and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath alias Chinni said on Sunday.
The leaders, along with RTC chairman Konakalla Narayana, Swachhandhra Corporation chairman Kommareddy Pattabhiram and members of the Society for Vibrant Vijayawada, had darshan at the temple, where they were welcomed with Vedic rituals.
As part of Vijayawada Utsav, the organisers will use 40 acres of temple land at Gollapudi in Vijayawada for exhibition purposes. In return, they presented a cheque for Rs 45 lakh to the temple, placing it at the deity’s feet, with an additional Rs 15 lakh to be paid to local farmers. The land will be utilised only for 56 days and later restored to the temple’s control, Minister Ravindra clarified.
Dismissing reports of encroachment and allegations of a long-term lease, Ravindra said these were baseless. “The land has brought no returns for years. Now, we are ensuring it generates income for the temple. The Collector has formalised the agreement, and after the festival ends, the property will be handed back in full,” he explained. He added that fencing worth ₹1 crore would be erected for protection, while legal disputes involving seven acres would be resolved swiftly. “Our immediate duty is to safeguard the lands and channel revenue for temple development,” he stressed.
Sivanath said Vijayawada Utsav was being organised to showcase Telugu culture and position Vijayawada as a cultural tourism hub, on par with Mysuru Dasara. “This land-use decision was taken after consultation with the temple committee. The revenue will help strengthen the temple, while the festival will give Vijayawada wider recognition,” he said, appealing to the people of Krishna district to support the festival’s success.
Highlighting the plans for the festival, the MP said Vijayawada Utsav would feature an expo at Gollapudi, a tourism carnival on Bandar Road, cultural programmes, international fireworks at Prakasam Barrage and a global village proposed along the lines suggested by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Minister Nara Lokesh.
Kommareddy Pattabhiram said the initiative was modelled on the Machilipatnam Beach Festival. The meeting saw the participation of temple committee members, leaders and devotees.
