Congress strongly opposes 3rd ghat road to Tirumala

Tirupati: Demanding Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to shelve its third ghat road proposal to Tirumala, Congress activists led by party State secretary Y Gopi staged dharna at Rajiv Gandhi statue, near the municipal corporation office here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Gopi said that the third ghat road starting from Mamandur would adversely affect the growth of Tirupati more so hit the interests of the businesses including hospitality sector and also the laying of the ghat road will also disturb the forests which is the habitation for many rare species of fauna and flora and also give impetus to red sanders smuggling.

He said the TTD management in the interests of Tirupati people should withdraw the third ghat road proposal or else he said the Congress party in a phased manner would build up a movement to see that the TTD management withdraws the proposal. Congress leaders Abdul Mazid Patel, Kottala Maheshbabu, NSUI leaders Sheik Syed Ali and others participated.

Meanwhile, Rayalaseema Intellectual Forum (RIF) convener M Purushottam Reddy urged the TTD to withdraw the third ghat road proposal.

In a statement, he said that the TTD keeping in view the environmental objections should on its own withdraw the ghat road proposal and limit itself to laying the pedestrian Annamaiah Margam path to Tirumala.

He wanted the TTD to keep in view the concerns and suspicions and shelve the third ghat road project. It is pertinent to note that the RIF with the support of other Rayalaseema organisations recently organised rallies and also a public meeting in the pilgrim city supporting equal development of all regions opposing Amaravati farmers agitation for retaining Amaravati as State capital.