TIRUPATI: All roads leading to the sacred abode of Lord Venkateswara, in the Pilgrim City of Tirupati, is soon going to become a complete liquor-free zone, with a new spiritual ambience, on par with the Temple Town of Tirumala.
The state government’s fresh Excise Policy for 2019-20 has re-ordered the ban on sale and consumption of liquor in certain areas leading to the sacred abode atop Tirumala Hills and has left only a few liquor shops on other peripheries of the city.
TTD and several local organisations submitted a series of representations to the state government, in the past, expressing concern over mushrooming wine shops and non-authorised bars in temple city.
The current MLA of Tirupati Bhumana Karunakar Reddy also took up a fast-unto-death in the year 2012, demanding to declare Tirupati as a liquor-free zone. His son and YSRC youth wing leader B. Abhinay Reddy also filed a PIL in the court to declare certain areas such as Old Alipiri Road, D.R. Mahal Road, K.T. Road, where pilgrim movement will be high on any day, as a liquor-free zone.
Considering the pleas, the then state government had ordered to shut down all the wine shops and bars situated along the Tirumala bypass road. However, it didn’t concentrate on other main roads.
It has been alleged that the sale of liquor has been rampant in the city and retailers have been doing brisk business. From January 2019 till date, the boozers have consumed liquor worth around Rs 6,434.69 lakh, in the temple city alone.
MLA Bhumana had promised to transform the temple city into a spiritual hub.
