A division bench of the High Court on Monday ordered issuance of notices to the authorities concerned to respond on a public interest petition alleging misuse of public places at the pilgrimage centre of Tirumala.
The bench, comprising chief justice PC Ghose and justice Vilas V Afzulpurkar, was dealing with a petition filed by Bala Anjaneyulu of Tirupati complaining that the authorities had, without regard to court directions and TTD board resolutions, permitted construction of new shops near the Saptagiri Guest House and the old Annadanam Complex (now PAC-4).
The bench adjourned the hearing by a week.
The petitioner alleged that the authorities had allowed some unauthorised persons to build shops wherever they chose in public areas.
Further, shops on Tirumala were allotted illegally to some political leaders and influential persons, he said and urged the court not to permit construction of new shops in public places and sought an order for demolition of unauthorised constructions.
The TTD chairman, executive officer, chief engineer, commissioner of endowments and principal secretary (revenue-endowments-III) have been named as respondents.