Efforts on for better functioning of TTD Kalyana Mandapams: EO

Tirumala: TTD Executive Officer A V Dharma Reddy said that the TTD is focusing on its Kalyana Mandapams in various places for their better functioning. Accordingly, the TTD through public auction handed over the Kalyana Madapams to locals for better maintenance and also to make them fetch revenue so as to make them sustainable. He denied enhancing the tariff of Kalyana Mandapams and said only 12 Kalyana Mandapams were recently increased. Speaking to media in Tirumala on Monday, the EO explained that out of 396 TTD Kalyana Mandapams located across the country, the rentals of only 12 Kalyana Mandapams have been enhanced owing to the request of the devotees, by totally renovating the structure, providing A/C, furniture spending Rs 2.8 crore etc.

The tariffs of the remaining 384 Kalyana Mandapams are not hiked. As part of introducing a secured transportation for pilgrim luggage, TTD is going for a state of art luggage tagging system which will come into force likely by this April-end. "Akin to the airport model, we are going for RFID tagging to the luggage of pilgrims,'' he added. He took the occasion to inform the measure taken up by TTD for protecting its assets including land properties and increasing its deposits in various banks. For the first time in the history of TTD, we have released a white paper on all 960 assets extending to an area of about 7,126 acres donated to TTD by various philanthropists for the information of pilgrim public. Similarly, our bank deposits which were Rs 13,025 crore in 2019 are now Rs 15,938 crore while the gold deposits enhanced from 7,339 kilos to 10,258 kilos as per latest statistics. "These figures speak of the transparency in our administrative system and our commitment in discharging our duties and responsibilities for the benefit of devotees," he asserted. The EO also put forth the various social-welfare activities being operated by TTD with a special focus on health and education. "Besides various schools and colleges, we run specialised institutions like Deaf and Dumb School, polytechnic for the physically handicapped, poor home, old age home, orphanage etc free of cost. Superspeciality hospitals like SVIMS, BIRRD, Paediatric hospitals are providing impeccable medical services to the needy and poor. A world-class Oncology Institute will also come up by the end of this year," he said.

JEO Veerabrahmam, CVSO Narasimha Kishore, CEO SVBC Shanmukh Kumar, Chief Engineer Nageswara Rao, GM IT Sandeep and others were present.