Yadadri unlikely to be ready for Dasara

​Yadadri: Offering pujas to the self-manifested deities at the sanctum sanctorum of the renovated Yadadri temple by Dasara this year seems to be a far cry given the slow pace of work execution.

Come hell or high water, the state government is stuck to its deadline and assuring the devotees of darshan of deities in the renovated temple by Dasara. But the ground reality presents a different picture.

In the name of giving facelift to Lord Lakshminarasimha temple at Yadadri, temples of main deities were pulled down. It was almost one year since the Balalayam (a temporary temple) was inaugurated. There are no arrangements for the devotees to stay since guest houses and accommodation facilities were razed to the ground for renovation.

Though there is no dearth of funds for the Yadadri project and subsequent changes in the renovation plan, there is an inordinate delay in execution of works. The protective wall is supposed to be completed by March-end.

Only upon the completion of the retaining wall, it is planned to fill the site with earth and construct rajagopuram and other mantapams. Delay in construction of the retaining wall will have a cascading effect on temple rebuilding works.

According to temple executive officer Geeta Reddy, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao reviewed the progress of the project with Yadadri Temple Development Authority officials and engineers. But, the contracting firm Sunshine apparently not able to meet the deadlines set by the government in construction of the retaining wall, rajagopurams and so on.

Secretary in the CMO Bhupal Reddy had told the officials to accelerate the pace of works and complete construction of northern and eastern Rajagopurams and Mada veedhi at the earliest so as to allow the people to have darshan of the deities by Dasara.

It may be recalled that Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy on Dasara last kicked off the temple renovation works and went on record that the temple would be ready by Dasara next. But the progress of works is falling short of targets. Stone sculpting works are lagging behind in pace because of lack of amenities.

There is a delay in bringing rocks that weigh several tonnes to the work site. Only after completion of the retaining wall, the sculptors would be able to go about their work with much ease. Devotees and local people are of the view that the works would pick up momentum only when the officials provide amenities at the ground level.

The devotees are complaining of problems in having darshan of the deities at the Balalayam since the space is not enough to accommodate them. It takes two to three hours to get darshan of the deities. Most of the time, they have to wait under hot sun. The temple is expected to witness huge rush since the holiday season has begun.

It is not certain whether the temple renovation works would be through by Dasara this year. But the people have been appealing to the state government to see to it that the pace of the works is accelerated and improve amenities for the crowd thronging Balalayam.