10 November 2026 | Curated by KS Randhawa, Ludhiana Punjab
Kolkata’s New Town area could soon become home to a major Tirupati Balaji temple, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announcing that the Ambani family has agreed in principle to purchase a 17-acre plot and develop the religious complex.
The announcement has attracted attention because the same land had earlier been earmarked for Durga Angan, a large temple and cultural project dedicated to Goddess Durga. The proposed change would give the site a different religious identity and place a major Vaishnavite pilgrimage destination in the Kolkata metropolitan region.
Adhikari made the announcement while speaking at a Kali Puja event in New Town in November. He said he had discussed the proposal with Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant Ambani during his visit to their Mumbai residence on September 21, 2026.
What the Chief Minister announced
According to Adhikari, the Ambani family would purchase the 17-acre plot from the West Bengal government and construct a Tirupati Balaji temple.
The Chief Minister indicated that the state government would make the land available at a reasonable price rather than charging its full commercial market value. However, he did not publicly disclose the proposed sale price, the terms of the transaction or a timeline for completing the purchase.
Adhikari also said he had placed one condition before the family: devotees visiting the temple should receive prasad without charge. According to his account, Mukesh and Anant Ambani agreed to this condition.
It is important to note that the announcement so far has come from the Chief Minister. A formal public statement from Reliance Industries or the Ambani family confirming the land transaction, construction schedule and project specifications has not yet been established.
Why the 17-acre land is significant
The proposed temple site is located in New Town, a planned urban development area in the eastern part of Kolkata. The plot measures approximately 17.28 acres and had previously been selected for the Durga Angan project.
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for Durga Angan in December 2025. The project was conceived as a permanent religious and cultural complex celebrating Goddess Durga and the wider cultural importance of Durga Puja.
The proposed complex was reported to have an estimated cost of approximately ₹262 crore. Its plans included:
A central temple structure with a proposed height of around 54 metres.
Idols representing 108 deities.
Sculptures of 64 lions.
Landscaped open spaces and green areas.
A wide pathway around the main temple for devotees to undertake parikrama.
Spaces intended for religious gatherings and cultural activities.
The project was intended to create a year-round destination rather than a venue used only during the annual Durga Puja celebrations.
The new announcement therefore represents a significant change in the proposed use of the site. The future of the earlier Durga Angan plan, including the status of its foundation stone and any preparatory work, will need formal clarification from the authorities.
From Durga Angan to Tirupati Balaji: What changes?
Durga Angan was planned around the worship and cultural traditions associated with Goddess Durga. The newly announced proposal is centred on Lord Venkateswara, popularly known as Tirupati Balaji.
The Tirupati Balaji tradition is closely associated with the famous Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh. The original temple attracts devotees from across India and abroad.
A major temple inspired by this tradition in Kolkata could provide devotees in eastern India with another place for worship and religious gatherings. It could also attract visitors from neighbouring states and other parts of the country.
However, no detailed architectural plan, proposed temple height, facilities, construction budget or management structure for the Kolkata project has been publicly confirmed.
What is the connection with the Ambani family?
The Chief Minister linked the proposal to his September 21 visit to Antilia, the Ambani family residence in Mumbai, where he met Mukesh Ambani and Anant Ambani during the family’s Ganesh Utsav celebrations.
The meeting was also part of the state government’s wider effort to attract investment into West Bengal. Earlier reporting on the visit referred to discussions involving possible investments in sectors such as information technology, semiconductors and biogas.
The temple proposal is therefore being discussed alongside the broader relationship between the state government and the Reliance group. Nevertheless, a religious construction project and industrial investment proposals are separate matters and should not be treated as one confirmed investment package.
Could the temple become a major religious and tourism destination?
If the project moves forward, its location in New Town could make it accessible to residents of Kolkata as well as visitors arriving from outside the city.
A large religious complex can generate activity for several connected sectors, including:
Hotels, restaurants and local transport.
Retail businesses and shops selling religious items.
Employment in security, maintenance, hospitality and facility management.
Local tourism and organised pilgrimage visits.
Services supporting festivals and large religious gatherings.
The actual economic impact would depend on the scale of construction, visitor numbers, transport arrangements and the facilities eventually developed.
New Town already has major urban infrastructure and visitor destinations. A large temple could add another attraction, but it would also require planning for traffic, parking, crowd management, sanitation and public safety, particularly during festivals and peak visiting periods.
What remains to be confirmed?
Despite the announcement, several important steps remain before the project can be considered a confirmed construction undertaking.
1. Formal land transaction: The government and the proposed buyer would need to establish the sale terms, land valuation and transfer process.
2. Project approvals: The necessary planning, building, environmental and other applicable permissions would have to be obtained.
3. Construction details: The architectural design, project cost, contractor arrangements and construction schedule have not yet been formally announced.
4. Management arrangements: The organisation responsible for operating the temple, maintaining facilities and managing donations and free prasad would need to be clarified.
5. Status of Durga Angan: The state government would need to explain the formal position of the earlier project and the arrangements concerning the land originally earmarked for it.
A major proposal awaiting the next formal steps
The proposed Tirupati Balaji temple has placed New Town at the centre of a fresh discussion about religious infrastructure, land use and tourism in West Bengal.
For devotees, the prospect of a major Balaji temple in Kolkata may be significant. For the city, the project could become a new religious and visitor destination if it receives the necessary approvals and proceeds as announced.
For now, the most important distinction is that the Chief Minister has announced the proposal and described his discussions with the Ambani family. The land purchase, final project design and construction timetable still await formal confirmation.
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