VIJAYAWADA: Endowments department has come up with a revised master plan for the development of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri after six months of rigourous consultations with structural designers across the country.
Department officials reportedly set aside the old master plan as they found some problems while implementing the ideas on the ground level. During his recent visit to the temple, Deputy Chief Minister (Endowments) Kottu Satyanarayana said he is likely to give presentation on the new modified master development plan to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for approval.
“We are expecting a positive outcome from Jagan. If he approves it, works will commence in less than six months and will be completed at the earliest,” Satyanarayana said.As per the new plan, it has been learnt that officials would construct a kitchen for preparing Laddu prasadams and Pulihora in a single complex and a separate building for Nitya Annadanam.
Additionally, dedicated queue lines with three rows would be planned from the entrance of Kanaka Durga Nagar, facilitating the devotees directly to the hilltop in front of Raja Gopuram. “An inverted bridge with three rows will be constructed and it will be linked with another building to reach the hilltop. The newly constructed building will have elevators and ramps as well,” a temple official said. When compared to the previous plan, officials have made quite a few changes this time by removing annadanam hall in Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam and water fountain near Raja Gopuram.
“In order to control the increasing devotee influx, we have decided to exempt the prasadam preparation kitchen and annadanam from Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam and setting them in two individual complexes for the ease of administration and maintenance,” the official explained.
On measures to avoid traffic congestion, the official told TNIE that a dedicated four-storey building with advanced multi-parking facility will come up near Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam, which would be able to accommodate more than 400 cars at once.
“Designs of two companies were finalised, but one obtained the tender as higher officials accepted its plan. Cost analysis and other formalities are yet be discussed,” the official said.