TIRUPATI: TTD is running low cost rooms bearing the extra financial burden. The maintenance of the rooms is about Rs 200 per day while the room rents are Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 150 per room. The TTD senior officers are planning to suggest the administration to enhance the prices.
More than 60 per cent of the rooms in Tirumala are falling under these categories.
Out of 7,000 rooms in Tirumala, there are 2,200 rooms with a tariff of Rs 50, 2,300 rooms with a tariff of Rs 100 and over 500 rooms with a tariff of Rs 150. The maintenance cost includes power bill, water consumption and room attenders, etc.
A senior officer from TTD on condition of anonymity said, “The tariff is so low, the tariff is not even enough to maintain the room. Keeping in view the TTD financial aspects, we will suggest the administrative officers to enhance the tariff of the rooms soon. We are working on the pros and cons of enhancing prices and will submit the suggestion report.”
The TTD administration may accept the suggestions as they are cutting down all financial burdens.
The laddu prices on recommendation letters and extra laddus were hiked to double recently. The hike in laddu prices has not brought profits to the TTD but helped them to cut down their losses.
TTDs expenditure has almost touched Rs 5 cr a day, while the hundi earnings are difficultly touching Rs 3 cr mark, that too occasionally. Most the times the hundi earnings are ending around Rs 2 cr.
Finally, the administration has to take the decision wisely, as the enhancing of tariff may hurt the economically weaker sections.
On query a devotee from Kakinada, A. Madhu said, “I have taken a Rs 100 room. I came along with 7 other family members, the room is sufficient for all. They have provided two rooms for the price of Rs 100. The saddest part is that the jeep driver collected Rs 150 to drop us at the room from the booking office.”
