TTD move to ban private hotels, eateries at Tirumala sparks a row

Tirupati: The TTD decision to close down the private hotels and eateries in Tirumala kicked up a row with the leaders of various political parties vehemently opposing it on the ground that it would ultimately cause a lot of inconvenience to the pilgrims visiting Tirumala and others and deprive the livelihood of hundreds of small traders running eateries and tea shops on the hills.

Terming the decision as a hasty step that affects pilgrims, various sections of locals like private transporters, suppliers and residents living in Tirumala, they in one voice demanded that the TTD withdraw the decision to shut down hotels and eateries in Tirumala.

Senior CPM leader K Murali said the decision will affect the pilgrims more as the TTD may not be in a position to provide food, tea, coffee and milk for children on a round-the-clock basis and also as per the choice of the pilgrims, especially for pilgrims coming from far off places and from different States in North India, North East and from abroad also visiting Tirumala for darshan of Sri Venkateswara, the most popular Hindu God.

"Can the TTD provide milk to a pilgrim's children at 12 in the night or early in the morning or to the infirm and aged staying in cottages for whom their kith and kin get food from private eateries near their accommodation any time," he said adding that in places like Tirumala where pilgrim activities not confined to limited hours but a whole day.

CPI Chittoor district secretary K Rama Naidu said that it was the locals running eateries, for centuries fulfilled the food requirements of the visiting pilgrims when TTD was not even in existence and added that it is the 250 private hotels, eateries and tea stalls providing food items to 15,000-20,000 including local residents, small traders and hawkers, drivers of private transport vehicles like taxies. TTD unmindful of the consequences, with ulterior motive to benefit some corporate resolved to ban private eateries, he averred.

CPI ML (New Democracy) state secretary Harikirshna suspected a conspiracy behind the TTD move and opposed it as it will first hit hard the pilgrims with different food habits and dared the TTD to ban the Mutts and donors of posh guest houses in Tirumala minting money. Congress leader P Naveen Kumar Reddy also urged the TTD to take back its decision for the sake of pilgrims, locals, employees and others who are solely depending on the private eateries for food in Tirumala.

Senior TDP leader and Ex-minister N Amaranatha Reddy also wanted the TTD to first ascertain whether it can provide food to pilgrims as per their choice on round-the-clock basis before going in for a ban on hotels. The TTD can expand its free food distribution and add more varieties for the sake of pilgrims of other States, he said, seeking the TTD to tread cautiously on its move.