The Jammu and Kashmir administration has agreed in principle to allot 100-acre land along the Jammu-Katra highway to the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams for constructing a replica of the Tirumala temple there, reported The Hindu.
TTD hopes to complete the construction of the temple along with a Vedic School and Hospital in two years time, The Hindu quoted MP V. Vijaya Sai Reddy who led the delegation of TTD Board as having said on Monday. Talking to The Hindu over phone from Delhi, Reddy said two sites were identified as suitable for constructing the temple.
Acting on the instructions of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the team comprising TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal, Joint Executive Officer Basant Kumar and Board Member J. Sekar held discussions with the Union Territory’s officials and short-listed two sites at Dhummi and Majin in the Jammu district.
“We also met the Chief Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir and explained the details of our project. It has been a long-pending demand of pilgrims from many North Indian States visiting Tirumala that a replica of the temple be constructed in Jammu,” he said.
Reddy said that funds for constructing the temple, a Vedic school, a marriage hall and a hospital would be raised from devotees and the TTD would also contribute, to the extent possible. Asked about security concerns in the newly formed UT, the Rajya Sabha Member said that Jammu was peaceful and there was no threat whatsoever.
“Jammu is a peaceful place. Life is absolutely normal and no untoward incidents are reported in the area. We have taken all aspects, including security, access to the site, availability of water and transport facilities into consideration before finalising the two sites. More importantly, the sites are located on the highway leading to the Vaishno Devi Temple,” The Hindu quoted Reddy as having said.