Mumbai: An official said Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray handed over a letter of allotment of land to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Saturday, the first in western India, for the construction of a Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Navi Mumbai.
Thackeray paid a visit to the famous temple and received ‘darshan,’ placing the allotment letter in front of the idol before handing it over to TTD CEO Dharma Reddy.
TTD Member Milind Narvekar, Yuva Sena leaders Rahul Kanal and Suraj Chavan, as well as other top officials from the Andhra Pradesh-based temple trust, were present on the auspicious occasion.
TTD President Subba Reddy expressed his delight at the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s decision to allot a plot of land in Navi Mumbai for the temple, which will benefit millions of Lord Balaji devotees in Maharashtra and neighbouring west Indian states.
The TTD has built temples in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, New Delhi, Kurukshetra, and Rishikesh so far, and the one in Navi Mumbai will be its first in western India.
Last fortnight, the state Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, approved the allotment of a 10-acre plot at Ulwe, near the upcoming Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, for the construction of a replica of the Tirupati Temple, following a request from the TTD in February 2022.
The TTD and Maharashtra government hope that the new temple here, whose construction is expected to begin next year, will become a major draw for devotees, domestic and international tourists, as well as help the region develop and provide jobs for many.
The World renowned richest Tirupati Temple, which is located on the peak of the Tirumala Hills, which are around 850 metres tall, attracts an average of three-four crore devotees each year.
It is also the world’s richest temple in terms of revenue, with around Rs 3,000 crore collected annually from offerings and donations.
(Agencies)