In Telangana, no work appears to be moving forward without an increase in estimates under the Revanth Reddy government, according to official sources. They say this trend is continuing across all newly undertaken projects. The same pattern is being seen in road projects, buildings and now even temples. Exactly six months ago, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stone for the Omkareshwara Temple on the banks of the Musi River near Manchirevula. At the time, the government officially announced that the project was being undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs. 700 crore. The announcement was prominently reported in all newspapers. However, a government order issued six months after the foundation stone ceremony shows that the estimated cost of the same temple has increased by nearly Rs. 250 crore, taking it to Rs. 949 crore. This has triggered a discussion among government officials over whether those in power are now unwilling to spare even temples when it comes to alleged corruption.
The Telangana government has recently issued orders relating to the temple. According to these orders, Rs. 598.98 crore has been allocated for the temple’s architectural works and Rs. 349.67 crore for civil and structural works. The total comes to Rs. 948.65 crore. In addition, administrative approvals have been granted for an allocation of another Rs. 159.62 crore for a six-lane road that will be developed to connect the temple. With this, the total project cost has reached Rs. 1,108.27 crore. Leaving aside the six-lane road, the estimated cost of the temple construction alone has increased by nearly Rs. 250 crore compared with the amount announced earlier.
Engineering officials say that even though the prices of steel and certain other materials have increased due to the war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran, such a steep rise in costs is unlikely to be justified by those increases alone. Most engineers believe that there has definitely been some irregularity in the estimates. The Musi rejuvenation project falls under the Municipal Administration Department, which is being overseen by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Against this backdrop, a discussion is underway among official circles over whether such a revision in estimates could have taken place without the Chief Minister’s knowledge. IAS officers say this is not limited to this project alone. According to them, a similar pattern is being seen across newly undertaken works since the Congress government came to power in Telangana.