VMC bid to demolish temple sparks stir

Vijayawada: Tension prevailed on the banks of Eluru canal on Monday when a corporator Kaku Mallikarjuna Rao, along with Yadava Sangham leaders staged a protest in front of Lord Krishna Temple near Gulabi Thota, condemning the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) move of removing the religious structure for the extension works of Eluru canal.

Residents and leaders raised slogans and demanded an explanation from VMC Commissioner G Veerapandian on what basis the temple would be demolished. As the situation turned uncontrollable, police officials intervened in the issue and restored peace at the temple. Speaking on the occasion, corporator Kaku Mallikarjuna Rao said that the place where the temple is existed was once filled with weeds and was brought in good shape with the help of residents. “We cannot understand why VMC is focusing on public places in the name of development and road extension works,” he said.

However, a senior official from VMC said the Lord Krishna Temple was constructed just six months ago in the place where the VMC had proposed to implement the second phase of Happy Streets and received no permission from corporation. The stretch from Gulabi Thota road till BRTS road was proposed first to bring the Happy Street initiation to create citizen friendly environment. “But as part of the extension works of Eluru canal, we got orders from the authorities to demolish the encroachments on the bund,” he said.