Adhikari said his govt would offer the land, which the previous govt had earmarked for the Durga Angan project, at a reasonable price, rather than its commercial value
Kolkata: A 17-acre plot in New Town, where then CM Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for a ‘Durga Angan’ in Dec 2025, will instead house a Tirupati Balaji temple to be built by the Ambanis, CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday.
So, a foundation stone was laid on the 17-acre plot (where the Balaji temple will come up),” the CM said while inaugurating a Kali Puja in New Town.
Adhikari said his govt would offer the land, which the previous govt had earmarked for the Durga Angan project (a temple complex dedicated to Goddess Durga), at a reasonable price, rather than its commercial value. The Trinamool govt, he said, had initially identified another site in New Town to set up Durga Angan, but abandoned the plan following opposition from landowners. They had identified a site, but the landowners, who belong to another religion, said they had given the land for some other purpose and would not allow Durga Angan there.
“Building a temple is not a govt’s job. The previous govt wanted to build it to please the sanatanis here. The govt backtracked. However, there was pressure from sanatanis.
Referring to the temple project, Adhikari said, “The Ambanis will buy the 17-acre plot to build a beautiful Tirupati Balaji temple.
The CM said the Ambanis would buy the land to build the temple, which is expected to become a major religious destination. He also said he had set one condition for the family: devotees visiting the temple must be given prasad for free. I told them to construct a beautiful temple… which will become a religious place.
I have set one condition. But those who will go there have to be given free prasad. They agreed.”