The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams management, which is vigorously pursuing various projects like Srinivasa Kalyanams and Sri Venkateswara Vaibhavotsavalu for the promotion of the Venkateswara bhakti cult all across the globe, is also determined to construct temples of Lord Venkateswara in all major cities in the country. The fact that it has so far accorded a financial sanction of Rs. 100 crore for taking up the construction works at various places stands testimony to its commitment.
5-acre site at Kurukshetra
At present, the TTD is busy constructing temples in four major cities in the country. While the temple at Kurukshetra in Haryana is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 34.06 crore on a five-acre site, the one at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu which will also house a kalyana mandapam, pilgrim amenities complex, guest house, archaka and staff quarters, is being taken up at a cost of Rs. 22.50 crore. Rs. 7 crore has been allocated for the construction of the temple at the capital city of Dehradun in Uttarakhand which also includes a guest house and staff quarters.
The latest addition is the construction of another massive temple in the posh locality of Banjara hills in Hyderabad which will come up on 3.5 acres of land. Even though Rs. 13.89 crore has been exclusively allocated for the construction of the temple alone, the total cost of the project which includes a temple tank, pilgrim amenities complex, archaka and staff quarters besides anna prasadam building, is pegged at Rs. 28 crore.
When contacted, TTD Chief Engineer Chandrasekhar Reddy said that initially the focus is on the construction of temples alone. Allied works relating to the temples like the construction of guest houses, quarters etc, would be taken up in a phased manner.
Meanwhile, the recent decision of the TTD to construct a temple of Lord Venkateswara in the capital city of Amavarati, is expected to further push up the expenditure. The other major commitment is take-over of three other temples -- at Anantavaram in Guntur, Ramalayam at Ontimitta in Kadapa and the ancient Kodandaramalayam in Chandragiri -- which are in need of immediate renovation.
