MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Maharashtra government granted approval for plans worth Rs 2,954 crore for preservation and renovation of memorials and temples in the state on Wednesday.This includes clearance for a development plan worth Rs 681.3 crore for the preservation of the memorial to the 18th-century warrior queen Ahilyadevi Holkar at her birthplace in Chaundi village in Ahilyanagar. The project was announced at a cabinet meeting held at Ahilyanagar on May 6 and comes ahead of the ruler’s 300th birth anniversary. The work is to be completed over the next three years.At the same cabinet meeting, development plans worth Rs 5,503 crore were cleared for seven major pilgrimage centres in the state. This included Rs 147.8 crore for Ashtavinayak temples, Rs 1,865 crore for the Tuljabhavani temple plan, Rs 259.6 crore for the Jyotiba temple plan, Rs 275 crore for the Trimbakeshwar temple plan, Rs 1,445 crore for the Mahalaxmi Mandir plan, and Rs 829 crore for the Mahurgad development plan.On Wednesday, the government gave administrative approval to four of the seven projects. This includes theRs 147.8 crore Ashtavinayak temples development plan, in which an expenditure of Rs 100 crore will be undertaken on the temples and an expense of Rs 47.4 crore has been approved for electrification, lighting, and architectural consultancy. Besides the renovation of the temples, the development plan is also aimed at boosting the civic facilities available to devotees. The Ashtavinayak temples are a key tourist attraction in the state.The same day, a govt resolution was issued approving the expense of Rs 1,865 crore for the development plan of the Tuljabhavani temple at Tuljapur. Devotees come throughout the year to pray at the temple, especially during the Navratri festival. The state has issued instructions to preserve the original style of the historical structures in the temple.The state also issued a govt resolution approving the development plan for Jyotiba temple at Kolhapur worth Rs 259.6 crore. This includes plans for the conservation and renovation of the temple as well as surrounding lakes. The project is supposed to be completed by March 31, 2027.
