₹198-cr Kaleshwaram Temple Makeover Gathers Pace
The Telangana government has completed the tender process, and contractor Shivaram & Company began demolition works around 10 days ago.
WARANGAL: The renowned Sri Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy Temple at Kaleshwaram in Mahadevpur mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district is set for a major facelift under a Rs 198-crore redevelopment project, with demolition of old structures nearing completion and construction of the new temple complex expected to begin shortly.
The Telangana government has completed the tender process, and contractor Shivaram & Company began demolition works around 10 days ago. The first phase of demolition started on the southern side of the temple, where pillars of the Akshareswara Mandapam were dismantled.
Several old structures, including the temple compound walls, shrines of Vijaya Ganapathi, Maha Saraswathi, Shivananda Devi and Subrahmanyeswara Swamy, the Mirror Mandapam, Abhishekam Mandapam, Anivetti Mandapam, Dana Mandapam and other ancillary structures, have been removed. Demolition of the compound walls adjoining the main temple and the southern, western and northern gopurams is in its final stage.
To ensure uninterrupted worship during the reconstruction, a Balaalayam has been established at the nearby Sri Adi Mukteswara Swamy Temple in the adjoining forest area. Daily rituals and darshan were shifted there on Thursday, with special arrangements made for devotees.
Addressing villagers and devotees at the temple executive officer's office, endowments commissioner Hanumantha Rao presented the temple's master plan through a PowerPoint presentation. He said the redeveloped temple complex would accommodate nearly 25,000 devotees at a time and include improved pilgrim amenities and modern infrastructure.
He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had sanctioned RS198 crore for the temple redevelopment and an additional `60 crore for the development of the Ashta Theerthas. The project also includes the development of sacred water bodies such as Pakshi Theertham, Vyasa Theertham and Gnana Theertham, besides the construction of bathing ghats and approach roads.
In the first phase, the sanctum surroundings, temple precincts and sub-shrines will be completed. The government aims to complete the project by May 2027, ahead of the Godavari Pushkaralu. Plans are also underway to formally launch the reconstruction works in the presence of the Sringeri Peetadhipathi.
Hanumantha Rao appealed to devotees and local residents to cooperate with the authorities to ensure the timely completion of the prestigious project.
