Bhumana Alleges TTD Lost Rs.500 Crore in Oberoi Land Deal

Nellore: Former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy on Tuesday accused the TDP government of facilitating alienation of a prime 20-acre devasthanam land parcel near Alipiri to the Oberoi Group for ₹520 crore for constructing a resort with villas, when the cost exceeds ₹1,000 crore as per the market rates.

The allegation against the TTD has come when it has been going through multiple controversies in recent months.

Speaking to media at Tirupati on Wednesday, Bhumana said that following objections from devotees and pontiffs of various spiritual organisations, the TTD Trust Board had passed a resolution urging the state government to cancel the allotment of 20 acres of land at Survey No. 604 of Peruru village in Tirupati Rural mandal to Mumtaz Hotels.

The former TTD chairman said following this, the state government intervened and persuaded the Oberoi Group to change the promoter‘s name from Mumtaz Hotels to Svara Hotels, instead of cancelling the allotment altogether.

Bhumana alleged that while resolving the naming issue, the government has facilitated an unprecedented land swap, replacing the originally allotted tourism land at Peruru with TTD-owned land in Survey No. 588/A near Alipiri in Tirupati Urban mandal.

According to the former TTD chairman, the SRO (sub-registrar office) value of the Peruru tourism land had been about ₹18 crore, while the Alipiri TTD land is valued at approximately ₹520 crore, resulting in a value difference of nearly ₹500 crore. “Considering the market value, this could exceed ₹1,000 crore,” Bhumana charged.

Questioning the government’s intent, he asked why public and temple lands are being handed over to a private hotel group instead of allotting government revenue lands elsewhere in Tirupati.

Further, the YSRC leader said the Alipiri land falls within an ecologically sensitive zone. He went on to allege that several red sanders trees have been felled to pave the way for the luxury resort at the foothills of the Seven Hills.

In this regard, Bhumana appealed to heads of mutts and spiritual organisations to intervene and protect the sanctity of Alipiri, the gateway to Tirumala.