Pilgrims planning to visit Tirumala during the last week of December should think twice about their visit. The organisers of the World Telugu Conference (WTC) have decided to reserve all the 4,000 rooms in private hotels and TTD cottages for the delegates attending the three-day event to be held from December 27, 28 and 29. An estimated 19 million people visit the Tirumala Devasthanam every year.
The organising committee is expecting 20,000 delegates for the event, but they have identified only 4,000 rooms which includes 2,000 AC and 2,000 non-AC rooms. As the WTC is finding it difficult to provide accommodation to the remaining 15,000 delegates, chief secretary Minnie Mathew has suggested providing tented accommodations to the remaining delegates at the venue at MR Palle village.
Apart from these 20,000 delegates, 35,000 floating visitors are also expected to attend the conference who also needs accommodation. But the responsibility of providing accommodation to these floating visitors is not with the organising committee. These floating visitors may also find it difficult to get an accommodation during those days. The TTD has 508 rooms at Vishnu Nivasam pilgrim amenities complex, 560 rooms at Srinivasam complex and 164 rooms at Madhava complex in Tirupati. The private hotels in the city have been divided into four categories — A, B, C and D based on the facilities available. There are a total 4,300 rooms in all these private hotels. According to sources, the organising committee had approached them asking to rent all the rooms available in the hotels to them, but the hotel managements reportedly expressed their willingness to provide only 50 per cent of the rooms. But, a final deal between the two parties would be struck only after a few days after the committee arrives at a final figure on the number of delegates coming. The committee is also contemplating to provide accommodation in TTD kalyanamandapams located in Srikalahasthi and other nearby places in the district, which is yet to be finalised.
However, as of now the organising committee has no plans to accommodate the delegates in Tirumala cottages. The VIP delegates would be provided accommodation at various guest houses like Padmavathi, SV guest house and other places. In this backdrop, pilgrims are advised to make prior confirmation about the accommodation during the last week of December. The World Telugu meet is being held to promote Telugu language, literature, culture among younger generations.
- Sunday Standard