TTD Land Row Escalates As Chairman, Former Head Trade Allegations
26 Aug 2025 10:39 PM IST26 Aug 2025 10:39 PM IST
Bhumana criticised the transfer of TTD land to the tourism department, calling it a violation of Tirumala’s sanctity.
TTD (Image:DC)
TIRUPATI: The controversy over TTD land allocations to the tourism department has intensified, with TTD chairman B.R. Naidu and former chairman and YSRC leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy trading charges against each other.
The debate centers round the allocation of land on the Alipiri-Cherlopalli road, adjacent to the sacred Tirumala hills.
Bhumana criticised the transfer of TTD land to the tourism department, calling it a violation of Tirumala’s sanctity. He alleged that the chief minister and the current board justified the allocations on the pretext of preventing “impure activities” while permitting its commercial use.
Highlighting past allocations for hospitals and educational institutions, he sought the cancellation of allotments for the regional tourism office, the hotel management college, and the SV University boys hostel, insisting that TTD lands worth thousands of crores should be restored.
Addressing the media in Tirupati on Tuesday, Naidu countered the charges against him by explaining the historical context of the allocations. He said 30.32 acres were earmarked for the Devalok project under previous government approvals, including environmental clearance in 2021, while 20 acres had been allotted to the Mumtaz Hotel and five acres to the Meda Project under earlier administrations led by the YSRC, which had faced protests from Hindu organisations.
The chairman accused YSRC leaders of misappropriating crores in TTD funds and permitting construction near the sacred Seshachalam Hills. He noted that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu had intervened, deeming the site inappropriate, prompting the current board in November 2024 to reclaim 50 acres for TTD use while providing alternative land for the hotel, which had already invested `30 crore.
Naidu dismissed political claims of favoritism toward private entities, calling demands for a CBI inquiry absurd, and insisted that the board operates transparently with zero tolerance for corruption. He alleged that Ajay Kumar, who leased land for Devalok’s spiritual models, was issuing threats at gunpoint during the YSRC term and presented copies of the complaints filed in this regard.
Naidu said Bhumana Karunakar Reddy was unfit to live in Tirupati and misled the public. He urged pilgrims worldwide to recognise the board’s efforts, stressing that genuine devotees would not compromise Tirumala’s sanctity amid repeated acts of political criticism.
Bhumana criticised the transfer of TTD land to the tourism department, calling it a violation of Tirumala’s sanctity. He alleged that the chief minister and the current board justified the allocations on the pretext of preventing “impure activities” while permitting its commercial use.
Highlighting past allocations for hospitals and educational institutions, he sought the cancellation of allotments for the regional tourism office, the hotel management college, and the SV University boys hostel, insisting that TTD lands worth thousands of crores should be restored.
Addressing the media in Tirupati on Tuesday, Naidu countered the charges against him by explaining the historical context of the allocations. He said 30.32 acres were earmarked for the Devalok project under previous government approvals, including environmental clearance in 2021, while 20 acres had been allotted to the Mumtaz Hotel and five acres to the Meda Project under earlier administrations led by the YSRC, which had faced protests from Hindu organisations.
The chairman accused YSRC leaders of misappropriating crores in TTD funds and permitting construction near the sacred Seshachalam Hills. He noted that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu had intervened, deeming the site inappropriate, prompting the current board in November 2024 to reclaim 50 acres for TTD use while providing alternative land for the hotel, which had already invested `30 crore.
Naidu dismissed political claims of favoritism toward private entities, calling demands for a CBI inquiry absurd, and insisted that the board operates transparently with zero tolerance for corruption. He alleged that Ajay Kumar, who leased land for Devalok’s spiritual models, was issuing threats at gunpoint during the YSRC term and presented copies of the complaints filed in this regard.
Naidu said Bhumana Karunakar Reddy was unfit to live in Tirupati and misled the public. He urged pilgrims worldwide to recognise the board’s efforts, stressing that genuine devotees would not compromise Tirumala’s sanctity amid repeated acts of political criticism.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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