Rs 550 crore okayed for preservation of heritage, temple development

The government has sanctioned Rs 550 crore to conserve state’s heritage by modernising religious sites and improving facilities for devotees.

“Nearly Rs 50 crore has been approved for the restoration of ancient temples, forts and archaeological sites. Around Rs 37 crore has been sanctioned for development works in temples,” said a government spokesperson. He further said that a sum of Rs 56.26 crore had been sanctioned for Chintpurni Temple to promote religious tourism and a grand complex is under construction at the temple.

“Further, Rs 100 crore each has been approved for the development of Shree Jwalaji and Shree Naina Devi temples,” he said.

The spokesperson further said SUGAM Darshan system was introduced at Shree Chintpurni temple in August 2023 for the convenience of pilgrims. Apart from routine crowd management, special facilities for the elderly and specially-abled individuals are also being provided. To uphold the sanctity of rituals, priests are being provided special training. Recently, 15 priests from Shree Chintpurni Temple and 10 priests from Shree Naina Devi Temple underwent online training through Banaras Hindu University and more priests will be trained in phased manner,” he said. Financial support has also been extended to cultural and religious institutions.

He further said the restoration of the historic Bantony Castle in Shimla had been a landmark achievement. “Inaugurated in September 2023, it now houses a light-and-sound show and will soon include a digital museum. Around Rs 25 crore has been sanctioned for the project. The complex also promotes local crafts and cuisine through ‘Pahari Aangan’ stalls on the lines of Delhi Haat,” he said. “These measures are not only preserving heritage but also turning temples and cultural sites into vibrant centres of tradition and modernity,” he said.