VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that a master plan will be prepared to develop Srisailam as Divya Kshetram, and the issue will be discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Srisailam on October 16.
Chief Minister said that plans should be formulated to provide better amenities to pilgrims, similar to those at Tirumala.
As Modi is scheduled to visit the Srisailam temple for a darshan of Sri Mallikharjuna Swamy on October 16, Naidu said that issues related to temple development will be discussed with him.
Chief Minister conducted a review of Srisailam’s development with Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, and officials at his camp office on Sunday.
He directed officials to send proposals for allotment of 2,000 hectares of forest land to Srisailam devastanam to provide additional facilities for devotees from neighbouring Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana states.
Study amenities at major forest temples: Dy CM Pawan Kalyan
He emphasized that accommodation facilities should be increased without harming the environment and that Srisailam should be connected to national highways.
Naidu underscored the need for temple development, noting that all the prominent temples in Andhra Pradesh are located on hills. As the Srisailam temple is being developed as the second-largest temple in the state after Tirumala, Naidu stressed the importance of providing better facilities for pilgrims. He pointed out that the lack of proper parking facilities in Srisailam is hindering the provision of adequate amenities to the large number of devotees. “Unless we acquire the required land, we cannot provide the necessary facilities,” he said.
Against this backdrop, officials were asked to hold discussions with the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment in Delhi to explain the necessity of acquiring forest land.
Naidu directed officials to prepare an action plan to enhance the tiger population in the Srisailam Tiger Reserve Forest. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan suggested that officials study development programs at Sabarimala and other major temples located in forest regions.