Temple turns down demand

Members of Ponnurunni Sanmarga Pradeepam Yogam Sree Narayaneshwara temple managing committee have registered their protest against the decision of the Revenue Department to acquire land owned by the temple for widening Vyloppilly Road near Ponnurunni railway overbridge.

The temple authorities say that astrologers are of the opinion that land acquisition will adversely affect the prosperity of the temple.

According to the temple authorities, the Revenue authorities did not communicate the decision to acquire the land properly when they prepared the first alignment in 2010.

“There was no such widening proposal as per the first alignment prepared in 2010. The temple is situated on the eastern side of the overbridge. But as per the new alignment, the temple will have to surrender eight cents of land to widen the road,” said M K Ramesh babu, president of Ponnurunni Sanmarga Predeepam Yogam.

He also said that they are resisting to give up the land as it will affect the belief of the temple.

“The temple will lose its ‘Guru Mandapam’, compound walls and four shops of the temple in the area.

The compound walls are considered  to be ‘the legs of deity’. Also as per the astrologers there would be negative impact if any structural changes are made to the temple,” he said.

Land acquisition deputy collector Mohandads Pillai said that a special meeting would be convened with the temple authorities to sort out the differences.

“The land acquisition-related issues are expected to be settled  amicably at the meeting,” he said.