Spiritual Pithapuram gets Rs 30.66- crore development push

Metro India News | PITHAPURAM

Pithapuram’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage is set for a major infrastructure upgrade, with Rs 30.66 crore being allocated for temple restoration, a new TTD Kalyana Mandapam and the development of bhajan mandirs across the constituency. The initiative, taken with the special intervention of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, aims to preserve Pithapuram’s historic religious identity while improving facilities for the large number of devotees visiting its temples every year.

Of the total allocation, Rs 17.06 crore has been earmarked for the development and restoration of 24 temples. The works include structural repairs, renovation, construction of mandapams, dhwajasthambams and other pilgrim amenities. Several projects are already progressing. A prakara mandapam at the Sitarama Swamy temple in Gollaprolu is nearing completion, while dhwajasthambam works at the Jagannatha and Satyanarayana Swamy temples in Kothapalli have been completed. Work is also underway on facilities at the Sri Kunti Madhava Swamy temple and the Rajagopuram of the Suryanarayana Swamy temple at Ramakrishnapuram.

Major projects include Rs 5 crore for the Kukkuteswara Swamy temple and Rs 2 crore for Sri Pada Srivallabha Devasthanam. The focus also extends to Pithapuram’s heritage structures. The 10th-century Kunti Madhava Swamy temple, regarded as one of the Pancha Madhava temples, along with several historic temples associated with the Pithapuram rulers, is being restored. With annual pilgrim footfall estimated at 13.76 lakh to 18.07 lakh, and festival-day crowds sometimes reaching 20,000–50,000 a day, the government is seeking to upgrade infrastructure accordingly.

Another Rs 2 crore has been allocated for a modern TTD Kalyana Mandapam in U. Kothapalli, intended for marriages, religious functions and community events. The third component involves Rs 11.60 crore for 48 bhajan mandirs in the constituency. These facilities are planned not only for devotional gatherings but also for cultural programs and community-level spiritual activities. The combined program seeks to make Pithapuram a better-equipped pilgrimage destination while preserving its historical and religious character for future generations.