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.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.The CM had met Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant at their Mumbai residence, Antilia, when he went there to attend the family’s Ganesh Utsav celebrations on Sept 21.Referring to the temple project, Adhikari said, “The Ambanis will buy the 17-acre plot to build a beautiful Tirupati Balaji temple. I have set one condition. I told them to construct a beautiful temple… which will become a religious place. But those who will go there have to be given free prasad. They agreed.”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.“Building a temple is not a govt’s job. The previous govt wanted to build it to please the sanatanis here. 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. The govt backtracked. However, there was pressure from sanatanis. 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.The Durga Angan was supposed to have been built by Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco). As per the plan, the complex was to have an open-air space with greenery and a 20ft-wide path around the temple. The main sanctum sanctorum was to be 54m high and house idols of 108 deities and 64 lion statues.A trust was formed under then chief secretary to oversee the project.
