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Controversy over demolition drive
Highlights
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s decision to demolish three storied buildings located around the Vemulawada Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in the town is snowballing into a major controversy with the buildings’ owners decided to move the court challenging the decision.
According to ‘Agamasastra’, there should not be any structure in the temple higher than that of ‘Garbhagudi’ (main temple) but there is a queue line constructed above the ground level at the temple’s main entrance. The devotees will carry everything like prasadam, flowers and others through this elevated queue line and offer to Lord Shiva
Karimnagar: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s decision to demolish three storied buildings located around the Vemulawada Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in the town is snowballing into a major controversy with the buildings’ owners decided to move the court challenging the decision.
One of the building owners, Ramchander Rao has already filed a petition in the court while others also contemplating to approach the court soon.
Vemulawada Town panchayat officials recently bulldozed Ramachander Rao’s building located in front of the temple. During his maiden visit to the temple town on June 18 last year, KCR had directed the District Collector to take measures to remove all three storied buildings located within 1,000 to 12,000 meter radius around the temple. ‘Gopuram’ (temple dome) could not be seen clearly because of the tall buildings raised around the temple. Based on the Chief Minister’s instructions, town panchayat officials identified buildings around the temple to be demolished and issued notices to the owners of about 10 buildings.
Violating the town panchayat norms which will not permit to raise buildings above a height of 100 meters, several number of structures were constructed. The locals questioned the officials as to how they could demolish buildings that were constructed before the GO issued in 2012.
Referring to the Chief Minister’s comments that it was not good for the temple to raise the height of the buildings more than that of the dome, they questioned the construction of a Flyover Bridge in front of the temple, inside the main entrance gate.
According to ‘Agamasastra’, there should not be any structure in the temple higher than that of ‘Garbhagudi’ (main temple) but there is a flyover at the temple’s main entrance. The devotees will carry everything like prasadam, flowers and others through the flyover and offer to Lord Shiva.
Speaking to The Hans India here on Sunday, Vemulawada Town Panchayat Vice-Chairman Prathaga Ramakrishna said that people would not raise any objections since the flyover helps the smooth flow of devotees in the queue. Strongly opposing the government’s decision, he said that there was no harm to the temple due to the tall structures since a road was dividing the temple and commercial area.
Instead of taking measures to provide basic facilities like drinking water, toilets, more facilities at Dharmagundam and others, the State government was wasting its time and funds by focusing on unimportant issues, he observed. Several guest houses in Tirumala are taller than the main temple, he added. On the other hand, Vemulawada Town Panchayat Commissioner Srihari said that notices were already issued to the owners of the buildings, asking them to reduce the building height. The structures would be demolished if the owners refuse to pull down the buildings within the fixed deadline, he added.
When asked whether the panchayat office received any instructions from the court, Srihari said that they came to know that one person approached the court, but they have not received any directions from the court in this regard.
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