Hyderabad, September 26: Chief minister K Rosaiah today agreed to take up repairs to 47 dilapidated major temples in the state at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
The funds would either be generated from the same temples or diverted from bigger temples. Decisions to this effect were taken at a review meeting on the status of temples in the state chaired by Rosaiah here today. Rosaiah responded positively to the suggestions of the technical advisory committee (TAC) appointed by the state government to assess the structural safety and soundness of major temple structures in the state and recommend remedial measures.
There are about 5,000 historic temples constructed more than 100 years ago. The TAC has inspected 47 temples on a priority basis. Identifying old temples and assessing them will be a continuous process.
The chief minister approved a proposal to constitute zonal committees to assess the condition of temples.
He agreed to continue the TAC to assist the endowment department whenever required. It was also decided to strengthen the engineering department.
Members of the TAC, panchayat raj former chief engineer R Kondala Rao, retired IIT Chennai prof C V R Murthy, R&B engineer-inchief V Murahari Reddy, retired chief engineer B S V Koteswar Rao, retired sthapathi A Velu and endowments chief engineer R Jagan Mohan, attended the meeting.
Rosaiah instructed the officials and engineers to consult agamasastra pundits also before taking up reconstruction and renovation of any gopurams and temple structures.
Endowments minister G Venkata Reddy informed that the reconstruction of the Rajagopuram of the Srikalahasthi temple would be completed by the end of 2012.
He said 85 Rama temples would be built in SC colonies and tribal people would be trained in priesthood.
–Agencies