Pithapuram Spiritual Centres Get Major Development Push

Development activity in the historically and spiritually significant Pithapuram constituency is gaining momentum, with ₹30.66 crore allocated for temple development, bhajan mandirs and a TTD Kalyana Mandapam. The initiative, taken up with the special intervention of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, seeks to preserve the region’s religious heritage while providing better facilities for devotees and local communities.

As many as 24 prominent temples have been selected for development at a cost of ₹17.06 crore. The works include construction, renovation, repairs and improvement of pilgrim amenities.

At the Sitaramaswamy Temple in Gollaprolu, the prakara mandapam is nearing completion. Dhwaja stambha installation has been completed at the Jagannatha and Satyanarayana Swamy temples in Kothapalli, while slab work for priests’ quarters at the Venugopalaswamy Temple on Kothapalli Street in Pithapuram has also been completed.

Work is progressing on a kalakshepa mandapam at Sri Kuntimadhavaswamy Temple and a rajagopuram at the Suryanarayana Swamy Temple in Ramakrishnapuram. The Kukuteswara Swamy Temple will receive ₹5 crore, while ₹2 crore has been earmarked for Sri Pada Sri Vallabha Devasthanam.

The project covers several centuries-old shrines, including the 10th-century Sri Kuntimadhavaswamy Temple, one of Pithapuram’s Panch Madhava temples, as well as ancient temples associated with the Pithapuram Maharajas.

Officials said temples in the constituency attract around 13.76 lakh to 18.07 lakh devotees annually. During festivals, special rituals and Kalyanotsavams, daily footfall can reach 20,000 to 50,000, prompting authorities to strengthen infrastructure and crowd-management facilities.

A ₹2 crore allocation has been made for a TTD Kalyana Mandapam in U. Kothapalli mandal for weddings, religious functions and community events. The TTD mandapam in Pithapuram town has already been renovated, while temple mada street widening works have been completed.

Meanwhile, 48 bhajan mandirs in the constituency will be built in the first phase at a cost of ₹11.60 crore. The initiative forms part of a district-wide programme to renovate 419 bhajan mandirs across Kakinada district, strengthening rural religious and cultural spaces.