The Telangana government will buy 125kg gold from the Reserve Bank of India for gold-plating the “Vimana Gopuram” (temple tower) of Yadadri, the upcoming integrated temple city, chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the temple town, Rao said the government needs Rs 60-65 crore to buy the gold and the temple authorities are in touch with the experts who carried out a similar task at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam to execute the job.

“We will complete the fund raising and buy the gold from the RBI so that we get pure gold,” Rao said.

He said as the first donor he will donate an amount for 1.16kg of gold on his family’s behalf and similarly several ministers and MLAs have come forward to take part in the effort.

As part of the Yadadri tour, the chief minister went around the Giri Pradhakshina steps road, construction taking place at the temple tower (gopuram) and gave suggestions and changes to the final works, a media release from the chief minister’s office said.

He later inspected the works of integrated temple city construction.