Mangaluru: A drone now whirs around the towers of Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple, helping clean the shrine’s towers ahead of festival season. The temple has turned to the technology for the first time even as it prepares a revised master plan proposing additional infrastructure and land acquisition.Harinarayana Asranna, the temple’s hereditary priest, said a contractor engaged for periodic upkeep began using a drone-mounted high-pressure water sprayer to clean the temple towers Thursday.“The technology makes cleaning easier by removing algae and dust from the structures. The towers are painted after the cleaning work,” Asranna said, adding that drones will be used before every festival season.The temple has also modernised its bhojana shala (kitchen) with advanced equipment and follows a zero-waste model.“All waste generated in the temple is managed scientifically, and single-use plastic was banned several years ago,” he said.On the proposed master plan, Asranna said the temple was the first in Karnataka to submit one and is now working on a revised version.“It will include additional infrastructure, land acquisition and other development proposals. The temple has already paid Rs 8 crore towards land acquisition, and the process to acquire adjacent government land is under way,” he said.The temple has parking space for about 300 vehicles, with temporary facilities added during festival seasons. Footfall crosses one lakh during peak festival periods in April-May and other major celebrations, he added.
