TIRUMALA: A renewed push for major infrastructure expansion, educational upgrades, and heritage conservation marked the latest set of decisions by the TTD Trust Board, which unveiled a wide-ranging agenda aimed at easing pilgrim pressure, strengthening temple administration, and improving public services across its institutions.
One of the key moves is the Board’s green signal for a large integrated township at the foothills of Alipiri. The project, envisioned as a ‘Base Camp’ to decongest Tirumala, will come up on 29 acres occupied by the SV College of Sculpture, which will be relocated.
The administration has been instructed to invite comprehensive architectural proposals covering accommodation, amenities, and entertainment facilities for pilgrims.
In another step, TTD will cultivate temple-specific timber on a 100-acre tract in Palamaneru. The land will be used to grow teak, and other varieties required for Dwaja Sthambhams, temple chariots, ensuring self-sufficiency in a traditional manner.
Healthcare infrastructure at Tirupati received a major boost with the TTD Trust Board sanctioning an additional `48 crore for advanced facilities at the Sri Padmavathi Children’s Heart Centre, supplementing phase-wise allocations.
Education remains a priority, with the Board approving digital classrooms, CCTV, computers, software, and staffing support across 31 TTD-run educational institutions. Hostel capacity at Sri Padmavathi Women’s Degree College will be expanded by 270 seats, supplementing the existing 2,100. An enhancement of 275 seats was cleared for SPW College.
TTD decided to introduce mid-day meals for day scholars at SV Junior College and SPW Junior College, in line with the government scheme. The Board cleared construction of a Srivari temple in Mumbai’s Bandra area at a cost of `14.40 crore and approved the second phase of reconstruction of Sri Siddeswara Swamy Temple at Talakona with 14.10 crore, in addition to the `4 crore sanctioned.
Administrative measures included filling 60 Engineering Department vacancies, creating 18 Potu Supervisor posts and clearing two Sannidhi Yadava posts. A three-member panel will suggest divine road names in Tirumala. Wages of 62 priests and temple workers were also revised upward.