Kaleshwaram temple: Fund crunch hits development

Kaleshwaram (Jayashankar-Bhupalpally): The plan to spruce up the Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy temple, a unique shrine where two Shiva Lingas are found on a single pedestal, located on the banks of Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswathi (Antarvahini) confluence (triveni sangamam), appears to have hit a roadblock reportedly due to fund crunch.

It may be recalled here that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who laid foundation stone for Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) on May 2, 2016, had also announced Rs 25 crore for the development of the shrine besides turning the region into an international tourism hub. Thereafter, the authorities prepared a blueprint of the development and the government released Rs 25 crore in 2017.

Since then, the works on Kaleshwaram temple development have been crawling like a snail. The authorities have come up with a comprehensive plan that includes construction of a compound wall, kalyanakatta, a shelter to conduct rituals related to pinda pradanam, a 100-room accommodation, lighting, pylon, dining hall, queue complex, dormitory parking etc.

To carry out the development plan, funds have been reallocated department-wise – Panchayat Raj 16.5 crore, endowments Rs 5.25 crore, horticulture and forest Rs 1 crore each. Against this backdrop, several works that have to be carried under the Panchayat Raj department were pending. So far, the work on pylon, lighting, shopping complex, CRO building, renovation of Raja Rajeswara choultry and compound wall have been completed.

As this was like this, the CM also promised to sanction another Rs 100 crore when he visited the temple in May 2019. Although the authorities had prepared a proposal to develop the region by acquiring 400 acres, there was no response from the State Government.

Speaking to The Hans India, Congress SC Cell Mahadevpur mandal president and a resident of Kaleshwaram Lethakari Rajababu said, "There was not much to talk about temple development as it was going at a snail's pace." He ridiculed the Chief Minister's promise to sanction Rs 100 crore more for the temple development. How one would believe it when the government was not in a position to release the funds sanctioned earlier. It's yet another hollow promise made by the CM, he added.