Hyderabad :

The Indian Navy is all set to maintain the 400-year-old Siva temple at Pudur village in Rangareddy district in Telangana as villagers opposed relocation of the historical temple.

It all began when Telangana government has decided to allot 2,730 acres in Damagundam Reserve Forest block near Pudur village to the Ministry of Defence for setting up a Very Low Frequency (VLF) station by the Navy. The land includes 32.19 acres belonging to Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple in the village.

Apart from this, the main temple is located in Survey No. 473 in an extent of 12 acres and 04 guntas in which the Gundlam and some small temples are located.

The officials conducted several meetings for allotment of the land and also shifting of the temple in view of the proposed acquisition of the entire Forest Block allocated to the Navy, by the Special Chief Secretary & Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA), Hyderabad.

The Endowments Department has said there is no objection for acquisition of land in respect of 39 acres and 23 guntas for which the Naval authorities have agreed to pay compensation as per new Land Acquisition of Revenue Recovery (LARR) Act 2013, amounting to approximately `5.14 crore.

With regard to 5 acres where the temple complex and also a tank are located, the Navy has sought acquisition of the land and transfer of title as the temple complex is located in the centre of the proposed project area (VLF station).

The Pudur Gram Panchayat has passed a resolution rejecting translocation of the temple complex as the temple is of about 400 years antiquity.

Later, the Naval Commandant concerned has said there are three approach roads from Pudur, Gudupally and Vikarabad to the temple. The Indian Navy is planning to construct 7 km road around the entire campus, which will lead to the main access point on the eastern side near Pudur. As it would take some time, the Navy has agreed to allow conditional access to devotees from all three access points till the road is laid. After the road is ready, there will be only one permanent access from the side of Pudur village.

Revenue Secretary B Venkateswara Rao issued orders on Wednesday stating that the TS government accorded permission to the district collector, Rangareddy for acquisition of the temple land to an extent of 44 acres and 23 guntas (39 acres and 23 guntas of temple land and 5 acres of temple complex), belonging to Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy Temple, situated in Survey Nos. 217, 218, 219 and 473 in Pudur village, in favour of the Ministry of Defence, for the establishment of VLF Station.

The condition put forth by the TS govt to the Navy is that “the Indian Navy shall maintain and upkeep the temple which will continue to be there, where it is now situated”. Navy should submit a letter of acceptance from the Naval authorities for providing conditional access to the people, the government said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 04th, 2014