Flurry of Allegations After Simhachalam Temple Wall Collapse

Visakhapatnam: The collapse of the new retaining wall at the Simhachalam temple, which killed seven devotees on Wednesday, has led to the airing of a flurry of allegations from multiple sources.

Funds for the project came from the PRASAD (Pilgrimage rejuvenation and spiritual augmentation drive) scheme of the central government and the foundation for the project was laid in online mode by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 10-foot-high and 70 feet long fly-ash brick wall was ready four days before the festival that began on Tuesday.

Sources from the temple suggest that the contractor deviated from the original designs approved under the PRASAD scheme.

Opposition leaders and also the Jana Sena leader Peethala Murthy Yadav said development works on Simhachalam hill were entrusted under the tourism department’s Prasada scheme to the firm, K Ananth Rao & Co, during the YSRC government. These works were planned to be completed within 12 months, by May 2024.

The wall was built to accommodate separate queuing lines for different ticket categories during the Chandanotsavam festival, with areas designated for free darshan as also for the 300-rupee and 1,000-rupee darshan tickets.

According to preliminary reports, rainwater flowing from the upper areas of the temple complex eroded the soil adjacent to the wall, weakening the structure. The collapse coincided with the temple’s annual Chandanotsavam festival, during which special queue arrangements had been made for various ticket categories.

“Improper construction techniques and water management issues appear to be the primary causes of the collapse. The wall was built by stacking fly ash bricks directly on the ground without a proper foundation and pillars. The wall was neither plastered nor dried adequately,” those in the know of things said.

Contractor Lakshmana Rao, who undertook the construction of the wall, told the investigation team that he had been pressured to build the wall in haste and the work started four days prior to the festival. “I had informed them it wasn’t feasible to build the wall in a few days, but the Endowment and tourism department forced me to do the work in a jiffy,” he claimed.

The Simhachalam temple is built in a U-shape with a traditional drainage system chaneling water through an underground system. The excess water would flow down through the staircases. However, recent modifications to the temple complex disrupted this natural flow.

The collapsed wall was part of a T-shaped structure that replaced the original staircases connecting the bus stand to the main temple building.

Sources familiar with the temple’s design said Vedic priests had advised the temple authorities against the wall’s erection, citing concerns about likely water flow issues, but their words were ignored.

The project, they stressed, was part of the centrally-funded PRASAD scheme. The tenders were called in 2023 after the detailed project report was sanctioned in December 2022. The contract was reportedly given to an engineer who previously worked on the Rushikonda Palace during the YSRC government’s term.

The Center had allocated funds for the development of Simhachalam Devasthanam under the Prasad scheme. The DPR was done in 2021, and the sanction for the works was given on December 14, 2022. Tenders were called in 2023. The work was given to contractor Lakshman Rao, but due to the lack of coordination between the endowment and tourism departments, the implementation of the master plan dragged on. The work was delayed due to some changes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for these works on March 7, 2024, through virtual mode.

Jana Sena leader Peethala Murthy Yadav accused irrigation department officer Ramana of negligence. He said Ramana on a five-year deputation to the tourism department, was also involved in controversial projects like the Rushikonda Palace green resort. He allegedly inflated estimates for Yatra Niwas renovations at Appughar by Rs 5 crore.

He also criticised Visakha Simhachalam Devasthanam EE Srinivasa Raju for negligence, noting he had remained in position for over a decade despite numerous irregularities. He wondered whether construction protocols were followed, and called for accountability from principal secretary Vinay Chand, who supervised the work.