Amaravati, Nov 27 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the expansion and development of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Venkatapalem in the Amaravati capital region.

The Chief Minister performed ‘boomipujan’ for the Rs 260-crore project, to be taken up in two phases.

The project aims to transform the TTD temple into a major spiritual and architectural landmark in the State.

Terming Amaravati the capital of gods, the Chief Minister said that God has given him the opportunity to name the capital as Amaravati.

He thanked the farmers of Amaravati for voluntarily giving 33,000 acres through land pooling for the construction of the state capital.

He recalled that in 2019, he had resolved to build the temple on 25 acres on the banks of the Krishna River.

Chandrababu Naidu said it was former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao who started ‘Annadanam’ at Tirumala temple in 1983, and he started Pranadanam in 2003.

He recalled that when he was going to offer silk robes to the god during Brahmotsavam, he was attacked with 23 Claymore mines, but the god saved him.

“I will not do anything that will bring disrepute to Lord Venkateswara Swamy, and I will not let anyone do it,” he said

The Chief Minister said that whenever he visits the Tirupati temple, he goes in the queue with devotion.

“We should not go to God as a bigot. Those who do wrong will be punished by the Lord in this very birth,” he said.

CM Naidu alleged that the previous government had done nothing good except for destruction.

He said while farmers of Amaravati gave land with good intentions, the previous government “showed them hell”.

He told farmers that they believed in Lord Venkateswara, as they travelled from the court to the Tirupati temple and fought for the state capital.

The Chief Minister requested Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) to complete the Amaravati temple in two and a half years.

The temple development will be completed in two phases. The first phase, estimated at Rs 140 crore, includes construction of key components such as the temple prakaram, a seven-storey Raja Gopuram, Arjitha Seva Mandapam, Mirror Hall (Addala Mandapam), Vahana and Ratha Mandapams, Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Pushkarini, and cut-stone flooring.

The second phase, costing Rs 120 crore, will include developing the temple Mada streets, approach roads, an Annadanam complex, pilgrim rest houses, residential quarters for priests and staff, an administrative building, a meditation hall, and parking facilities.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had allotted 25.417 acres to the temple before 2019. However, the YSR Congress Party government scaled down the project.

After the TDP-led NDA came to power last year, it was decided to revive and fast-track the project.

The foundation stone-laying ceremony was attended by Endowment Minister Anam Rama Narayana Reddy, Minister Narayana, Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, TTD Chairman BR Naidu, MLA Tenali Shravan Kumar, several MLAs and TTD board members.

–IANS

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