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Officials Deny Demolition of Ancient Temple in Warangal School Project

Officials in Telangana's Warangal district have denied media reports of an ancient temple being demolished during construction of a government school. A joint inspection found the structure was already dilapidated and not a protected monument. The land is government property allotted to the Tribal Welfare Department. The district collector assured the structure will be restored at the same location with archaeological consultation.

Key Points: Warangal Temple Demolition Denied by Telangana Officials

  • Officials deny reports of ancient temple demolition in Warangal
  • Joint inspection found dilapidated structure, not active temple
  • Land is government property, not endowment land
  • Structure to be restored at same location with Archaeology Dept consultation
2 min read

Telangana govt officials deny demolition of ancient temple in Warangal

Telangana govt officials deny reports of ancient temple demolition during school construction in Warangal; structure to be restored at same location.

"The reports about the alleged demolition of the temple... are false and do not reflect the factual position. - Warangal District Collector's Office"

Hyderabad, May 8

Authorities in Telangana's Warangal district on Friday denied reports published in a section of the media regarding the alleged demolition of an ancient temple during the work for the construction of a government school.

The official of the Warangal District Collector's office issued a clarification, stating that the reports about the alleged demolition of the temple at Pahadla Ashoknagar village, Khanapur Mandal on May 6, are false and do not reflect the factual position.

It stated that a joint inspection was conducted on May 6 by Revenue Divisional Officer, Narsampet, Archaeology Department officials, Khanapur Tahsildar, representatives of Telangana State Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation (TGEWIDC) and executing agency officials.

"The subject land measuring 30 acres was found to be heavily covered with dense bushes and trees. During vegetation clearance and leveling works for the proposed Young India Integrated Residential School Complex, remnants of an old dilapidated structure were noticed. No demolition or dismantling activity was carried out by the executing agency," reads the statement.

Revenue records confirmed that it is government land and not endowment land. The land had already been allotted to the Tribal Welfare Department.

According to the statement, Archaeology Department officials confirmed that the structure was not notified or recorded as a protected monument or archaeological site.

The joint inspection team observed that the structure had remained in a dilapidated condition for a long period and was not in active use.

Warangal District Collector, Satya Sharada, along with Narsampet MLA, D. Madhava Reddy, visited the site on Thursday.

They assured that the structure/monument will be restored at the same location in consultation with historians, Stapathis, and the Archaeology Department.

Necessary efforts will also be initiated for notifying the structure with the Archaeology Department, added the statement.

The clarification by the authorities came hours after the Opposition parties BRS and BJP alleged demolition of the structure and demanded its immediate restoration.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Opposition parties jumping to conclusions without facts, as usual. The joint inspection report is clear - it was an old dilapidated structure on govt land, not even a protected monument. But restoration commitment is welcome. Let's focus on getting the school built for tribal children instead of political drama.
V
Vikram M
I'm from Warangal and know this area well. That structure has been in ruins for decades, no one was using it. The school is badly needed for tribal kids. But restoration is the right gesture - shows sensitivity while keeping development on track. Win-win. 👏
M
Michael C
As someone who works in heritage conservation, this looks like a case of proper procedure followed - they consulted archaeology dept, conducted joint inspection, and the structure wasn't even listed. The restoration plan shows good intent. But governments should have a pre-construction heritage survey protocol to avoid such controversies.
A
Ananya R
All this could have been avoided with better communication. The government should have issued a press release before starting work, explaining the plan. Now both sides are playing politics. Hope the district collector keeps her promise of restoration. Our heritage and development both matter. ☮️
R
Rohit P
Opposition making noise without visiting the site. I read the official statement - 30 acres of dense bushes, old ruined structure, no one even knew it existed! Tribal kids need schools. But restoration is a good bonus. Let development happen without unnecessary drama. 🤷‍♂️

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