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GUNTUR,ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA, July 7,2012 (Times of India) In a controversial move, the state government has asked the endowments authorities to dismantle the historical rajagopuram of Amaravati temple near here. The government issued the order, ignoring the report of experts' committee which strongly objected to the demolition of the 200-year-old rajagopuram. Amaravathi temple EO Venkateswarlu said the rajagopuram would be reconstructed at a cost of US$220,000.

Curiously, the two separate experts committee appointed by the endowments department made A strong case for protecting the historical monuments. "Demolition is not warranted," said the report submitted by the expert committee
The committee visited Amaravathi last November following reports over cracks in the 100-ft tall rajagopuram and observed heavy traffic in the temple's vicinity as main reason for rajagopuram developing small cracks. The government, instead of imposing curbs on vehicular movement, has decided to go for demolition.

Lack of archeological sense among the endowment officials was uprooting the precious structures, criticized senior advocate A. Sanjeeva Reddy, whose movement forced the government to give up a similar attempt to demolish THE rajagopuram of Mangalagiri temple.