Jammu: Stating that Jammu City and in fact the entire Jammu region, is known as the land of temples, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday that after the foundation laying of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, new vistas to open for Jammu.
“To this series of landmarks of faith beginning from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi to Shri Raghunath ji Temple, a new milestone of faith has been added in the name of Balaji on Sunday in Jammu,” Dr Singh here told the media after attending the foundation laying ceremony.
He said, “I am sure, this will herald the auspicious beginning of a new era marked by peace and prosperity, and also signal the beginning of end of the long drawn Covid pandemic.”
Tirumala Tirupati Board is known for its reputation of holistically developing the place acquired by it and going beyond establishing the place of worship to provide health, education and livelihood facilities for the benefit of larger sections of society.
To that extent, this also marks the opening of new vistas for the Jammu region. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking a personal interest in the equitable development of Jammu and Kashmir and the government headed by him takes every care to ensure that every region including Jammu receives its due share of Central resources,” the minister said.
Union MoS Home G K Reddy and Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also graced the ceremony.
The Lieutenant Governor’s administration had allotted 25 hectares (about 62 acres i.e. 2.5 lakh square meters) of land to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) in Jammu for construction of temple and development of other facilities.
The land has been given on lease for forty years.
The temple management has made full preparations to build the temple on the land allotted by the government and work will begin on war footing.
Tirumala will build Tirupati Devasthanam Temple, Veda Pathshala, Spiritual Center, residential facility and parking on the land.
It is also proposed to build health and education facilities on this land in the coming days.
TTD will build the temple in two years along with the Vedic school and hospital.
The Administrative Council on April 1, has approved the proposal to allot 496 Kanal 17 Marla to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for building of Temple and its allied infrastructures, Pilgrim amenities Complex, Vedapatasala, Spiritual/Meditation Centre, Office, Residential Quarters and Parking; on lease basis for a period of 40 years.
It will enable tourists to come and stay longer in Jammu city. The future development on the campus will also contribute to economic growth of the region. (UNI)