TTD to spend Rs 418 crore to build two huge pilgrim amenities centres in Tirupati

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has begun the construction of two massive pilgrims’ amenities complexes (PACs), “Achyutam and Sripatham”, in Tirupati to provide comfortable accommodation for devotees visiting the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala.

TTD trust chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy laid the foundation stone for Achyutam and Sripatham PACs on Friday. The two complexes will come up on 20 acres of land behind the existing Tirupati railway station at a total cost of Rs 418 crore.

The 70-year-old Govindaraja Swamy and Kodandarama Swamy choultries in Tirupati had become dilapidated over the years, necessitating TTD to demolish those structures and construct modern amenities centres in their place to serve the ever-growing number of devotees better.

Speaking after the bhoomi puja, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said the two new PACs with state-of-the-art facilities will address the shortage of accommodation units in Tirupati for thousands of devotees who come from across India and abroad. The chairman said TTD will build the Achyutam PAC by spending Rs 209 crore and the Sripatham at a cost of Rs 209 crore over the next three years.
“Each PAC will be built across 7.04 lakh square feet in eight floors to house over 4,100 devotees at a time. Apart from 500 rooms, the amenities complexes will have dormitories, family rooms, cloak rooms, medical facilities, restaurants and other amenities to make the devotees' stay comfortable. They will also have state-of-the-art amenities including reception, token counters, medical facilities, restaurants and parking for over 200 vehicles”, he explained.

The two massive complexes will ease the perpetual demand crunch for accommodation in Tirumala caused by thousands of pilgrims who visit the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy shrine every, the TTD chairman said, adding that the TTD aims to complete the construction of both the PACs within three years.

Tirupati Mayor Dr R. Sirisha, Deputy Mayor Bhumana Abhinay Reddy, TTD joint executive officer Sada Bhargavi, TTD chief vigilance and security officer D. Narasimha Kishore and other officials attended the foundation stone laying event of the two ambitious complexes.