Tirupati civic body renames Garuda Varadhi flyover 

The overpass will now be called ‘Srinivasa Setu’; opposition members stage sit-in protesting the move.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (Photo | EPS)
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (Photo | EPS)

TIRUPATI: Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) has officially renamed Garuda Varadhi flyover as ‘Srinivasa Setu’. A decision in this connection was taken at the MCT council body meeting held here on Tuesday. The Srinivasa Setu is being constructed from Tiruchanur to Alipiri. Tension prevailed for a while as TDP corporator RC Muni Krishna raised objections over the renaming of Garuda Varadhi. The opposition party members staged a sit-in in front of the corporation office protesting the move.

The third council body meeting was chaired by Mayor Sireesha in which all the MCT corporators and ex-officio member Bhumana Karunakar Reddy participated. Karunakar Reddy said that the decision to change the flyover as Srinivasa Setu was taken after denizens were against travelling on ‘Garuda Varadhi’ as the flyover is named after the vahanam of Lord Vishnu.

He also proposed to conduct a national level kabaddi championship by Tirupati Smart City Corporation Limited (TSCCL). Seconding it, MCT commissioner PS Girisha announced Rs 1 lakh prize money for the winners and a unanimous resolution to this effect was passed by the council members. This apart, the meeting passed a resolution to widen the arterial road between group theatres to TUDA office through Jayshyam Theatre to Tirumala Road. It decided to give vacant Anna canteens in the city on rent through auction for 11-month period.

A commercial complex would be constructed in place of an old building at the East police station. The council also proposed to take up beautification works at Gandhi statue at the APSRTC bus station premises. Deputy Mayor Bhumana Abhinav Reddy said main roads in the industrial area Auto Nagar should be developed and the vacant space available should be developed into a park by the MCT. Additional commissioner Haritha, deputy commissioner Chandramouliswer Reddy and other officials were present.

RENAMING OF GARUDA VARADHI FLYOVER IS TOO EARLY, SAYS RPS CONVENOR 

Rayalaseema Porata Samithi (RPS) convenor Naveen Kumar Reddy said there is no objection in renaming the Garuda Varadhi as Srinivasa Setu. But the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), MCT and Smart City authorities should discuss and announce a mutual decision. Stating it is too early to rename the flyover as Srinivasa Setu, he said as the TTD is spending a lion’s share in the construction of the flyover, feedback from the TTD should be considered. As the TTD is maintaining Tirumala by-pass road, the consent of the Board board should be taken into consideration, Naveen Reddy said. It would be better if the Smart City and MCT authorities devise ways to gather funds for completing the construction of the flyover, the RPS convenor noted, in a press statement

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