Yet in another display of excellent camaraderie TTD has come forward to bear the additional cost involved in the making of a golden chariot to the temple of Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka swamy in Kanipakkam which is expected to run over a couple of crore.
It was in 2008 that Kanipakkam devasthanam decided to get a golden chariot readied with the help of TTD and also had deposited ₹ 1 crore into the latter’s account in February 2010 towards the initial expenses.
Unfortunately, the proposal failed to make any headway for the reasons best known to both the parties and after a prolonged hiatus the Kanipakkam Devasthanam as per the understanding reached with TTD deposited another ₹ 5 crore into the latter's account in October 2019 towards the making of chariot.
As per the agreement reached, TTD would take up gold gilding works to the copper ornamental design covering the existing wooden chariot. About 15 kilograms of gold was estimated to into the making of the ambitious chariot and the total cost was pegged at ₹ 7.15 crore which included the cost of materials, labor and centage charges etc., according to the figures finalized in October 2019.
Though it was initially thought to procure the required gold (22 Ct.) from MMTC, Hyderabad and copper sheets, nuts and bolts besides labor by way of e-tenders the TTD on the recommendations of its works committee changed its mind and decided to use its own gold lying idle in the coffers by seeking approval of the government.
Accordingly, the government passed a G.O. on 27th February 2020 permitting TTD to draw required gold from its treasury following which the Kanipakkam devasthanam was asked to deposit the balance amount of ₹ 1.15 crore into its account for taking up the works.
Meanwhile, the Kanipakkam authorities in a letter last September, requested TTD to consider gold rates prevalent precisely on the dates (15-02-2010 and 10-10-2019) on which the amounts were deposited instead of reckoning on the present gold cost given the humongous impact it would have on its finances as it feared the total cost to spiral up to over ₹ 7.83 crore as against ₹ 5.47 crore even if the date (27-02-2020) on which the G.O. was passed was taken into consideration.
Taking a pragmatic approach to the legitimate request of Kanipakkam devasthanam the TTD board during its meeting last November finally approved to consider the gold rate as per the Chennai Bullion Market on the respective dates of realization of ₹ 1 crore and ₹ 5 crore that were deposited by them into its account.
