YTDA, MAUD lock horns over sharing LED power bills

HYDERABAD: The Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA) and municipal administration and urban development department (MA&UDD) are locked in a battle over paying certain electricity bills, which is causing severe hardship for both the general public as well as devotees heading to the Yadadri temple.

Because of the disagreement, LED lights installed at all locations except the Yadadri Ring Road have not been switched on for the past few days, causing inconvenience to people during the night. Devotees visiting the temple for darshan between 5 pm and 7 pm and from 8 pm to 9 pm are encountering difficulties.

As part of the Yadadri temple complex renovation, hundreds of LED lights were installed along the road leading to the temple at a cost of `2 crore. This included 469 electric poles and 485 LED lights, as well as two high mast lights, from Raigir village, Bhuvanagiri mandal of Bhongir municipality, to the temple's Vaikunta Dwaram.

Another 467 electric poles, 550 LED lights, and eight high mast lights were installed along the ring road.  According to official sources, the advanced LED lighting system has resulted in a monthly power bill of nearly `4 lakh.

The system was fully operational for three months. Later, officials used this system occasionally, especially during festivals, but it has now been completely shut down.

The Bhongir municipality expressed its inability to bear the `4 lakh power bill. Seeing the plight of devotees, the YTDA offered to pay `2 lakh, but the MA&UDD has not responded. TRS Alair MLA Gongidi Sunitha, who is the government whip in the Assembly, along with YTDA officials brought the issue to the notice of MA&UD minister K.T. Rama Rao.

"The minister has promised to resolve the issue within a week by issuing the necessary instructions. The minister wants to ensure that the advanced LED lighting system is operational without disruption for the convenience of devotees visiting the temple," Sunitha said.