TTD Plans to Weave Urbanity Around Tirumala’s Spirituality

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has announced plans to modernise Tirumala hill town while preserving its spiritual landscape. “We have roped in an expert town planner as an adviser to execute the project with technical precision,” said TTD executive officer (EO) J. Syamala Rao on Thursday.

He emphasised that Tirumala's status as a global pilgrimage hub demands scientific urban planning. To bring in such transformation, experts will draft a comprehensive vision document focusing on sustainable development, enhanced mobility and improved amenities for the millions of devotees who annually visit the temple from around the world for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.

A key aspect of the plan, the EO said, is traffic decongestion. A part of the efficient vehicular management will be multi-level smart parking facilities integrated with real-time monitoring technologies, which will optimise parking space and streamline vehicle flow.

The hill town will have pedestrian-friendly footpaths, easing the movement of devotees.

Older structures, such as APSRTC bus stand and ageing cottages, will be redeveloped to align with modern infrastructure needs while preserving the town's spiritual heritage. “The emphasis will be on achieving energy efficiency and reducing Tirumala’s carbon footprint while preserving Tirumala’s traditional architectural elements,” Syamala Rao said.

Adding a spiritual dimension to the urban makeover, TTD will rename the existing rest houses. Around 150 sacred names are being shortlisted to reflect Tirumala's devotional essence.

The executive officer said to improve the environment, legacy waste accumulated over recent years will be cleared in three months, ensuring that Tirumala remains clean and green.

“Our vision is to make Tirumala a global benchmark for urban planning among pilgrim centres world-wide. Every initiative will reflect its spiritual significance while embracing sustainability,” he underlined.

Urban planners and technology specialists have recommended that TTD leverage cutting-edge digital tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling to develop intelligent urban designs reflective of Tirumala’s spiritual structures.

There will be detailed simulations of population dynamics, precise forecasting of infrastructure requirements and strategic land allocation.

Experts propose to implement sophisticated waste management solutions, including automated compaction systems, biological digestion technologies, and artificially intelligent waste sorting mechanisms.