Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the Endowments Department to accelerate the construction of 5,000 temples across the State and complete the process of finalising suitable sites. The directive was issued during a review meeting on temple development, where officials presented an update on the progress of projects already taken up. The government is also focusing on expanding religious infrastructure in underserved communities and residential areas.

During the review, TTD Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra informed the Chief Minister that proposals had been received for 4,192 temples from 161 Assembly constituencies spread across 28 districts. Of these, 967 temples have already been completed, according to the information presented at the meeting. Naidu directed officials to speed up the remaining work and ensure that the process of identifying locations and executing construction plans moves forward without unnecessary delays.

The proposed temple construction programme will be implemented in three categories, with priority being given to colonies and settlements inhabited by Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, fishermen and other weaker sections. General areas will also be covered under the programme. The focus on these communities is intended to ensure that religious infrastructure is developed in areas where access to existing temples may be limited, while also extending the programme to other parts of the State.

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Naidu also called for the restoration of 1,000 ancient temples across Andhra Pradesh as part of the broader effort to strengthen and preserve the State’s religious heritage. The restoration initiative is expected to cover older temples requiring repairs and conservation. Officials have been asked to identify temples that require attention and take up restoration works alongside the construction of new places of worship.

In addition to the new temples and restoration programme, the Chief Minister directed officials to focus on the development of Shiva temples and Shakti Peethas. The directions form part of the State government’s wider plans concerning temple development and religious tourism. The involvement of TTD and the Endowments Department is expected to help coordinate the identification of sites, construction activities and restoration works across different districts.

The review comes as the State government seeks to advance several temple-related projects simultaneously, including new construction, restoration of historic places of worship and development of prominent religious sites. With proposals already submitted for thousands of temples and hundreds of projects completed, officials now face the task of accelerating implementation across the State. The Chief Minister has instructed the concerned departments to finalise locations and ensure that the planned projects progress at a faster pace.

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