Puttur, 16 September 2026: Around 18 acres of land is already in the name of Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple in Puttur, while another five to six acres is yet to be secured, Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai said.
Speaking at the 69th Public Sri Maha Ganeshotsava at Kille Maidan, Rai said efforts were being made to ensure that the remaining land associated with the temple is brought under its ownership.
“About 18 acres is already in the name of the temple. Another five to six acres is pending,” Rai said, adding that the remaining land would be secured and handed over to the temple when required.
Land and temple development
Statement comes at a time when several development projects are being planned at Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple. Rai recently said that a major development programme worth about ₹10 crore had been sanctioned from government allocation, with a separate commercial complex estimated at ₹15 crore also being planned. The proposed works include improvements to the temple courtyard, dining facilities, toilets, accommodation and other amenities for devotees.
A 60-room dormitory, improvements to the approach road and development of the temple lake are also among the projects announced for the temple. Puttur City Municipal Council has also taken up a separate project for the development and rejuvenation of the Mahalingeshwara Temple Kalyani under AMRUT 2.0, with the tender value listed at about ₹3.7 crore.
Rai's vision for Puttur as a pilgrimage centre
Rai said development of the temple should also be viewed from the perspective of Puttur's potential as a pilgrimage destination. He said devotees travelling to major religious centres such as Kukke Subrahmanya and Dharmasthala could also be encouraged to visit Puttur and Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple.
MLA said better temple infrastructure and facilities could help increase the number of visitors to the town and contribute to its broader development.
What the pending land could mean
Availability of additional land could provide scope for future temple-related infrastructure, including facilities for devotees and other development projects. However, the exact extent, ownership status and legal position of the five to six acres referred to by Rai would need to be established through official land records and temple documents.
For now, Rai's statement places land ownership alongside infrastructure development as an important part of the next phase of development at one of Puttur's prominent religious institutions.
Keywords: Puttur Mahalingeshwara Temple, Ashok Kumar Rai, temple land, Puttur temple development, religious tourism, Puttur development