In what could be a major decision, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is likely to pass a resolution at its board meeting to be held on Wednesday for bringing the Tiruchanur, presently a gram panchayat, under its control.
The proposal has been pending for a couple of decades now. After a resolution is taken at the TTD meeting in this regard, it will be sent to the government for approval. Confirming that the board would meet to discuss the issue in the next two days, sources said the TTD had been making a pitch to get control over Tiruchanur after getting enough backing from the endowments department.
At present, Tiruchanur town is under the panchayat limits. Though, the TTD has the control over the management of Padmavati temple in the area, it has no say over the administration of the town.
“With Tiruchanur coming under the purview of the panchayat administration, we do not have any control over imposing a ban on liquor or sale of meat there like atop Tirumala Hills. This apart, , we can’t take up developmental works there as we have to take the permission of the panchayat for all such moves,” a TTD official told Express.
As the gram panchayat is collecting parking fees and other charges from devotees who visit Padmavati temple, the decision could be opposed by some political parties, some TTD members observed.
This was because once the town comes under the purview of the TTD, there will be no elections to the local bodies, though Assembly and Lok Sabha polls will be conducted, they explained.