Attracts 5,000-13,000 daily; preserves 50-year heritage ahead of Feb 2026 celebrations.
HYDERABAD: The iconic Birla Mandir, one of the city’s most visited religious and tourist landmarks, is undergoing a major facelift to upgrade facilities for devotees and improve the overall visitor experience. The renovation, which started in November, is expected to finish by the end of January, with minor works likely to continue until mid-February, temple authorities said.
A key feature of the project is a new lift that will transport visitors directly to the hilltop shrine. This will spare them the remaining 20 steps that were earlier a challenge for elderly and differently abled devotees, making access significantly easier. With this upgrade, the temple will operate two lifts, mainly serving senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Several other amenities across the complex are also being upgraded.
The science museum at the entrance is receiving wall resurfacing, new interior tiles, and overall refurbishment.
Three washrooms are being modernised to boost hygiene and accessibility, with extra facilities being created for visitors.
Cleaning and polishing of the temple’s marble exterior and interior are in progress, along with fresh coats of paint on railings and walls wherever required. The steps leading to the temple are also being scrubbed, and renovation is underway from the shoe‑shed area right up to the sanctum sanctorum and shikhara, while the temple library is being refurbished.
Temple authorities added that the project is also tackling long-pending issues like water seepage on the hillock, where the shrine has stood for nearly five decades.
“The renovation is focused on preserving the sanctity and heritage of Birla Mandir while providing greater comfort and accessibility for the increasing number of visitors,” said executive officer Shyam Kothari.
The works take on added importance as the temple gears up for its Golden Jubilee celebrations on February 13, 2026, marking 50 years since its prana pratishtha in 1976.
Perched on a 280‑foot‑high hillock and spread over 28,165 square yards, Birla Mandir attracts 5,000 to 7,000 devotees on weekdays and up to 13,000 on weekends.
