Kaleshwaram will be a spiritual hub, says CM

“With the prestigious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project on the verge of completion, there is a need for Kaleswaram temple area to be developed as a tourist destination and a spiritual hub. The state government is keen on this endeavour and `100 crore will be allocated in the next budget for this purpose,” announced Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao when he inspected the project site on Sunday.

The Chief Minister visited the Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy temple and Parvati temple on the banks of river Godavari in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. He and his wife Shobha spent some time in the temple premises speaking to the priests.

Mr Rao said that since the Kaleswaram project would gain prominence, lakhs of people would visit the place daily and hence, the area around the temple must be developed. He instructed district collector Vasam Venkateshwarlu to procure 600 acres of land for the expansion and development of the temple. Sources said this includes government, private and forest lands. The CM also wants to have a Kalyana

Mandapam and a place for discourses on the premises.

“On completion of the Kaleshwaram barrage, the water from river Godavari will be lifted to flow for 170 km until it touches the feet of Dharmapuri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. With the blessings of Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy, around 45 lakh acres of agricultural land will be irrigated for both crops (Kharif and Rabi). Expansion plans should include construction of

residential quarters for the priests besides a Vedic school and a college. Come up with proposals for an integrated temple complex,” Mr Rao told officials.

Ministers Yerraballi Dayakar Rao and Koppula Eswar, MP Joginapalli Santosh Kumar, chief advisor to government Rajiv Sarma, advisor to government Anurag Sharma, chief secretary S.K. Joshi and CMO secretary Smita Sabharwal accompanied the CM on his visit.