Tirumala: The Upamaka temple of Lord Venkateswara in Visakhapatnam is set to regain its glory thanks to various developmental works being taken up by the TTD on a war footing.
The temple, which once basked in all its glory, unfortunately remained neglected for several years owing to lack of proper governance until it was brought under the TTD’s fold in 2015.
The ancient temple located just one kilometre from the Nakkapalli village on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway attracts lakhs of pilgrims from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts and also from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana every year.
Initially, the TTD concentrated on improving the basic amenities at the hill temple like setting up of reverse osmosis drinking water plant and construction of toilets but is now engaged in providing a facelift to the entire complex.
A multi-purpose Kalyana Vedika with the dual purpose of letting it out to the public on non-festival days has been constructed at a cost of ₹35 lakh. To enhance the ambience, the ‘Akhandam’—the place of breaking of coconuts by the devotees in fulfilment of their prayers—has been shifted outside the complex and work relating to the laying of interlocking cement bricks has been taken up at a cost of ₹30 lakh in front of the main complex.
Stainless steel railings have been provided all along the over 400 steps that lead to the main temple. Safe defender lockers have also been set up at the newly constructed strong room inside the temple complex to store precious ornaments of the deity which hitherto were deposited in bank lockers.
Brass railings like those in the Tirumala temple have been built around the ‘dhwajasthambham’ and inner sanctum at ₹38 lakh and the work on installing high-rise safety grills to arrest unauthorised entry from the adjoining hillocks is under progress.
Proposals for taking up of improvement to the Pushkarini, which includes setting up of the valve system, providing fencing around the tank and taking up of work relating to the modernisation of the steps, have been forwarded to the management for approval.
TTD Executive Officer D. Sambasiva Rao at a review meeting recently instructed engineering officials to complete all developmental works ahead of the annual Upamaka Utsavalu (on March 9).
