Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu officially launched the expansion and development of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Venkatapalem in the Amaravati capital region on Thursday. The Chief Minister performed a ‘boomipujan’ ceremony for the ambitious Rs 260-crore project, which will be executed in two phases.
The initiative aims to elevate the TTD temple to a significant spiritual and architectural landmark within the state. Calling Amaravati the “capital of gods,” Naidu expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to name it as such. He thanked the farmers of Amaravati for their generous contribution of 33,000 acres through land pooling for the establishment of the state capital.
Reflecting on past commitments, Naidu reiterated his 2019 promise to construct the temple on 25 acres along the banks of the Krishna River. He acknowledged the legacy of former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao, who initiated ‘Annadanam’ at the Tirumala temple in 1983, and remarked that he introduced ‘Pranadanam’ in 2003.
Naidu recounted a near-fatal incident during a previous visit to the temple when he survived an attack involving 23 Claymore mines, attributing his survival to divine intervention. “I will not do anything that will bring disrepute to Lord Venkateswara Swamy, and I will not let anyone do it,” he declared.
Emphasizing the importance of humility in devotion, Naidu remarked that visiting God should not be an act of bigotry, stating that those who commit wrongs will face divine consequences in their lifetime. He criticized the previous government, asserting it achieved nothing beneficial and only inflicted hardship on the farmers of Amaravati, who acted with good faith.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) to expedite the completion of the Amaravati temple within two and a half years. The project’s first phase, estimated at Rs 140 crore, will feature the temple prakaram, a seven-storey Raja Gopuram, Arjitha Seva Mandapam, Mirror Hall, and several other key structures. The second phase will cost Rs 120 crore and include the development of approach roads, an Annadanam complex, pilgrim rest houses, and more.
The previous government led by the YSR Congress Party reduced the originally allotted 25.417 acres for the temple project set forth by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government before 2019. Following the TDP’s return to power last year, efforts to revitalize and fast-track the project gained momentum.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony was attended by key officials, including Endowment Minister Anam Rama Narayana Reddy, Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, TTD Chairman BR Naidu, MLA Tenali Shravan Kumar, various MLAs, and TTD board members.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/national/andhra-pradesh-cm-begins-work-on-260-crore-temple-project-in-amaravati-1599289
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Publish Date: 2025-11-27 14:12:00
