Tirumala ghat road works to be over by Dec-end
TTD chairman Y V Subba Reddy on Friday holds a meeting with experts from IIT New Delhi and TTD engineering officials on restoration of second ghat road which was damaged due to landslides
Tirumala: TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy directed the engineering officials to complete the works for the restoration of the second ghat (up ghat) road, which was severely damaged two days back due to landslides resulting in huge boulders falling on the road damaging it and also the protective railing and wall at several places on the up ghat road. The ghat road was closed and both up and down vehicles are now moving on the same down ghat road.
Subba Reddy held a meeting with IIT experts and also TTD engineering officials in Sri Padmavathi Rest House here on Friday on taking up the repair works of the second ghat road.
The chairman said the recent heavy rains that lashed Tirumala hills in November triggered landslides leading to displacement of huge boulders falling on the road, damaging the road to Tirumala.
He wanted the officials to ensure required immediate measures to see further no displacement of the rocks or boulders from the spots where landslides occurred on the second ghat road and complete the repair works as early as possible, keeping in view the convenience of pilgrims. "The devotees are being forced to wait for hours together at Alipiri and Link Bus stand and in Tirumala due to up and down movement of vehicles only through down ghat road," he said and instructed the officials to allow vehicles to Tirumala through link road from Saturday onwards after thorough inspection to ease traffic congestion on the first hat road due to operation of both up and down vehicle. The up ghat road was damaged between 14th and 15th km from Alipiri and the link road linking the up and and down ghat road was at Mokalimitta area on the hills, 13 km from Alipiri.
In other words, the opening of the link road facilitates the vehicles to move on the up ghat road to Tirumala up to 13 km to join with the first (down) ghat road from where both up and down vehicles will ply up to Tirumala to a distance of 5 km only.
The second ghat road distance was 18 km.
Asking the officials to thoroughly inspect the ghat roads to remove immediately the boulders or stones perching in precarious position by using chemical technology, he affirmed that devotees' safety is paramount and there is no need to think on expense.
TTD senior officials, IIT expert from New Delhi Rao, engineering advisor Ramachandra Reddy, chief engineer Nageswara Rao and others were also present.