Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday announced the allocation of Rs 100 crores for developing ancient Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy temple, situated on the banks of river Godavari, into a tourist destination and a spiritual hub.
According to Telangana Tourism department, the temple is located in Kaleshwaram town in Karimnagar district and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Noting that the prestigious Kaleswaram irrigation project was on the verge of completion, Rao in a release said the Kaleshwaram area has to be developed as a tourist destination.
The most iconic aspect of the temple is the presence of two Lingams holding on to a single pedestal or the 'Panavattam.
Meanwhile, KCR, as Rao is referred to, visited the Kaleswara Mukteswara Swamy temple and goddess Parvati temple Sunday along with family members.
"Since the Kaleswaram project is going to attain utmost prominence, hereafter there will be lakhs of public visiting the place and accordingly development has to take place at the temple," KCR said.
He instructed the District Collector to procure 600 acres land for the development of the temple, the release from the CM's office said.
He further said residential quarters would be built for temple priests, besides a Vedic school and a college, which would be an integrated complex.
The foundation stone for the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 80,500 crore, was laid on May 2, 2016, by Rao.
The objective is to supply irrigation water to one crore acres of farmland.
Ministers Yerraballi Dayakar Rao, Koppula Eswar, MP Joginapalli Santosh Kumar, Chief Advisor to Government Rajiv Sarma, Advisor to government Anurag Sarma, Chief Secretary SK Joshi, CMO official Smita Sabharwal, MLAs Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, Dasari Manohar Reddy, MLC Naradasu Lakshman Rao, Bhanu Prakash were among those who were present.
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