Vijayawada Durga Temple To Be Developed With Funds Worth Rs 195 crore, Says AP Minister

Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, popularly known as Kanaka Durga temple, in Vijayawada, will be developed for Rs 195 crore, said Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Endowments Minister Kottu Satyanarayana on Tuesday.
    
For the funds, Rs 70 crore would be spent by the state government while the remaining Rs 125 crore would be disbursed from the temple's reserves, Satyanarayana said.
    
"Considering the rising numbers of devotees to Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Devasthanam day by day in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister has allocated these funds to create facilities," the Minister said in a press release.
    
Already, Satyanarayana said works worth Rs 15 crore have been completed while the construction of Prasadam Potu and Annadanam Bhavan (dining hall) worth Rs 55 crore will be completed.
    
He said the temple authority has also executed some works to ensure that rocks and stones do not roll down onto pilgrims when they pay obeisance to the deity.
    
Further, the Minister said an additional Rs 125 crore would be earmarked to build a multi-level queue complex, a bridge to connect it, and Annadanam bhavan along with other developmental works.
    
He said an expression of interest (EOI) has been called to build a mechanised multi-level car parking worth Rs 60 crore under build operate transfer (BOT) mode at one of the entrances.