KHAMMAM: What could be the reason behind the inordinate delay in the commencement of development works in Ramalayam temple? Is the Polavaram project ‘delaying’ the development of Ramalayam? Some highly placed sources say yes. According to information, the State government is not giving approval to the temple’s master plan, apparently, due to possible submersion of the temple and its premises by Polavaram water.
According to official sources, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is currently considering reports on Polavaram project and the impact that it can have on the temple town and the funds for the Ramalayalam works will only be sanctioned after a proper study.
According to information, the Ramalayam temple in Bhadrachalam and the entire temple town is currently a flood prone area as the height of the Polavaram project has further been increased.
Sources said that once the Polavaram works are completed the water level will reach 42 feet and if a sudden rain comes, the water levels will further increase and submerge the temple and the town. It is learnt that the execution of the master plan has been kept pending after the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) was informed about this possibility and the CMO directed the officials to keep the plan aside till the expedition of a proper study on the issue. Based on inputs and reports, the chief minister had appointed a technical committee with retired engineers to carry out studies on this and the government will commence the development works only after considering the recommendations on their reports.
According to an endowment officer, the CM is very keen to sanction funds for the development of the temple. However, he is waiting for the technical committee report and once the report is in favour of the temple, the CM will nod to the execution of the master plan.
The CM who visited Bhadrachalam to witness Lord Rama Kalyanam in 2015 had assured to sanction `100 crore for the developmental works of the temple. As per the CM’s directions, they visited the temple and prepared master plan with the help of temple priests and other officials. According to temple executive officer Talluri Satish Babu, the State government is very keen on the development of the temple. He also asked the devotes not to believe rumours that government is unwilling to develop temple.