TTD Board Approves ₹36.95 Crore for Amaravati Venkateswara Shrine’s Expansion
Assistance for dhupa, deepa, naivedyam at temples has been increased from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 in accordance with the government norms.
Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board has approved ₹36.95 crore for construction of a seven-storey Maha Rajagopuram, mandapams, and other utilities at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple located at Venkatapalem in Amaravati.
Addressing media after the board met on Wednesday, TTD chairman B.R. Naidu said the utilities at the Venkateswara Temple in Amaravati project include an Arjitha Seva Mandapam, Addala Mandapam, Vahana Mandapam, Ratha Mandapam, Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple and Pushkarini.
The TTD chairman announced that the board has also approved a Rajagopuram for Sri Venkateswara Temple at Ananthavaram in Guntur district at a cost of ₹2.71 crore, ₹55 lakh for a Shiva Temple at Vardhanapalli village in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, and a Kalyana Mandapam at Lepakshi in Sri Sathya Sai district.
Further, the board approved takeover of 20 acres allotted by the Telangana government for construction of a Srivari Temple in Khammam. Other approvals include additional toilets along Tirumala Sarva darshan queue lines at a cost of ₹4.55 crore, ₹6 crore for an additional pipeline from Gogarbham Dam to the filter house, ₹3.61-crore worth development works at Varahaswamy Rest House-1, ₹4.75 crore for a Yagashala near Alipiri, and ₹4.25 crore for permanent bus-check shelters near the Alipiri toll gate.
B.R. Naidu said the board sanctioned an additional ₹43.40 crore for building infrastructure in TTD educational institutions, taking the total allocation to ₹161.40 crore. It approved a new administrative building to bring all TTD offices in Tirumala under one roof.
It has been decided to rename roads and circles in Tirumala after spiritual and mythological figures. In addition, TTD would distribute free kits to children under the “Akshara Govindam” programme launched to promote Sanatana Dharma. Assistance for dhupa, deepa and naivedyam at temples has been increased from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 in accordance with the government norms.
The TTD chairman said the board approved procurement of silk clothes, blankets and related materials worth ₹44.20 crore from APCO and Co-optex. It has accepted 19.43 acres donated in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. It has decided to seek the government’s permission for contract and outsourcing appointments at the Navi Mumbai Temple ahead of the Maha Samprokshanam programme.
The TTD has accepted that board member Sourabh Bora would bear the cost for constructing a Padmavathi Ammavari Temple in Mumbai.
B.R. Naidu said the board has approved the proposal to appoint Padma Shri awardee Dr. Shobha Raju as the Asthana Vidwan. The board has decided to frame guidelines for extending privileges to donors, issue darshan and laddu cards to contract and outsourcing employees, enhance employee health reimbursement by ₹2 lakh in addition to the existing ₹3 lakh coverage, and distribute hearing aids to 150 children under the Shravanam project.
Those who attended the board meeting included TTD executive officer (EO) M. Ravichandra, additional EO Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary, JEO V. Veerabrahmam, CVSO K.V. Muralikrishna, board members and officials.
