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TDP to axe TTD board
The Andhra Pradesh government, which intends to usher in several reforms in the administration of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), is set to scrap the existing board and constitute a new board.
- Asks Bapiraju to step down
- Cut shorts VIP Break Darshan to 800 devotees a day
- To set up a website for booking 300 tickets for VIP Darshan
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government, which intends to usher in several reforms in the administration of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), is set to scrap the existing board and constitute a new board.
Though it is the practice that the members and the chairman of the old board resign soon after the change of government, TTD chairman and former Congress MP Kanumuri Bapiraju wanted to remain in office till his tenure comes to an end by August.
Minister for Endowment Manikyala Rao on Monday indicated the government wanted the entire board to resign immediately, so that it can focus its attention on measures to be taken to streamline the administration.
At a press conference, the Minister said the government had decided to scrap the system of issuing recommendation letters for VIP Darshan by Ministers and MLAs. It had already restricted the number of VIP break darshan to 800 devotees a day. This had resulted in reduction of waiting time for devotees.
The Minister said the government would be soon building a separate website for booking Rs 300 tickets for VIP Darshan online. He said within 15 days of this system being in place, the practice of issuing recommendation letters would be stopped.
He said several irregularities had crept in during the previous regime. Though only six persons were allowed on each VIP pass, many a time 12 to 15 persons were allowed by the TTD authorities.
He said for every one hour break given for VIP darshan, as many as 5,000 common devotees were put to trouble.
On important days like Vaikunta Ekadasi in January, 2014 nearly 8,824 VIP passes were issued and this had become an issue of major controversy.
The Minister said temple tourism would be promoted in Andhra Pradesh. The scheme had already been announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it would be implemented in the State for the convenience of the devotees.
