TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has issued a notice to Visakha Sri Sharada Peetham, directing the management to vacate and surrender its five-story building near Gogarbham Dam in Tirumala within 15 days.
The directive arises from findings of unauthorised constructions and encroachments by the Peetham, which violated TTD regulations.
No action was taken against Sharada Peetham at the time, and the complainant faced repercussions from TTD’s Revenue Department. The complainant then filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which directed TTD to halt the Peetham’s unauthorised activities and enforce regulations.
During the previous YSRCP government, these encroachments were regularised despite protests from local groups and Hindu Dharma Parirakshana organizations. However, after the coalition government assumed power, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a cleanup drive starting in Tirumala. A TTD committee report confirmed the Peetham’s violations, and Chairman BR Naidu declared the removal of encroachments during a board meeting.
TTD’s Estate Department issued a show-cause notice to the Peetham, which sought legal recourse. Following multiple hearings, the High Court upheld TTD’s authority to act, noting that the Peetham’s non-compliance could set a harmful precedent for other mutts on the same street. The court further stated that illegal occupations and unauthorised constructions could lead to the cancellation of an organisation’s license or MoU with TTD and may constitute criminal activity.
In compliance with earlier court orders, TTD had halted the Peetham’s unauthorized activities last year. Now, based on the latest court directives, TTD has issued a final notice for Visakha Sri Sharada Peetham to clear the premises and hand over the building within the stipulated 15-day period.