Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The National Monument Authority (NMA) has approved the construction of new facilities for devotees at the Shri Grishneshwar Temple in Ellora, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country. The approval includes a large building project with a shopping complex, waiting area, devotees’ accommodation and a sabha mandap.
The sanction letter was issued by the NMA office in Mumbai under the Ministry of Culture on May 25.
The proposal was discussed and cleared during the 519th meeting of the NMA held in New Delhi on May 20. District Collector Vinay Gauda G C gave a presentation before the authority during the meeting.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Venugopal Reddy, Cultural Affairs Department Secretary Vinod Agrawal, Archaeological Survey of India Superintendent Arun Malik, Director Colonel S Marwah, Director General Yaduveer Rawat, District Planning Officer Bharat Wayal and Executive Engineer Smita Pawar, were present.
The proposal was submitted by the Public Works Department. The project aims to improve facilities for the large number of devotees visiting the temple every year.
According to the approved plan, the project will include a shopping complex spread over 5,132.91 square metres, a waiting area of 2,265.36 square metres, devotees’ accommodation area of 1,531.02 square metres and a sabha mandap of 1,223.60 square metres. The plan also includes a foot over bridge, entrance area, security walls, parapet wall and a water tank. The height of the building will be 9.11 metres.
Authorities said construction inside the prohibited area around the temple remains completely banned. If any archaeological remains are found during excavation or construction work, the work must be stopped immediately, and the Archaeological Survey of India’s Ellora sub-circle office must be informed.
The NMA has warned that the permission will be cancelled if provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, are violated. Officials also said the project will require no objection certificates from the fire brigade, local administration and other departments before work begins. An occupancy certificate will also be mandatory after completion of the project.
