The Asian Age

Work on `33.22 crore temple by Tirumala trust begins in Jammu

- YUSUF JAMEEL

The work on a magnificen­t temple and allied infrastruc­tures, to be built by Andhra Pradeshbas­ed Tirumala Tirupati Devasthana­ms (TTD) in Jammu and Kashmir’s winter capital Jammu, formally began on Sunday.

J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, who unveiled the plaque marking the laying of the foundation stone and attended the bhumi pujan ceremony, said, “It is a historic and proud day for J&K.”

He asserted that besides being a centre of faith and spirituali­ty, the temple “will open up opportunit­ies across sectors in Jammu, giving a major push to religious and pilgrimage tourism while boosting the economy of the region.”

About 20 months after the Centre stripped J&K of its special status by repealing Articles 370 and 35A of the Constituti­on and also split it up into two Union Territorie­s of J&K and Ladakh, J&K’s administra­tive council under Mr Sinha had, in April this year, allotted 496 kanals and 17 marlas (62 acres) of land to TTD for building the Sri Venkateswa­ra Swamy Temple at Majeen on the peripherie­s of Jammu city.

The TTD has been allotted this land on lease basis for a period of 40 years.

Reiteratin­g that the magnificen­t divine temple, on its completion, will be a centre of faith as well as a destinatio­n of spirituali­ty, Mr Sinha said that the TTD board will establish a Gurukul and Veda Pathashala within the complex to promote Sanskrit and the ancient culture of Vedic teachings and learning.

“The board has also agreed to set up centres of excellence in the field of healthcare on the lines of its excellence centres in Andhra Pradesh,” he added.

J&K’S L-G, Manoj Sinha, who unveiled the plaque marking the laying of foundation stone and attended the bhumi pujan ceremony said, ‘It is a historic and proud day for J&K’.

 ?? — PTI ?? Labourers work to prepare a chariot ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri on Sunday.
— PTI Labourers work to prepare a chariot ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri on Sunday.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India