TTD scraps stalled museum gallery modernisation deal

• Delays and missed deadlines force TTD to end pact with contractor
• Despite a show cause notice issued in October 2025, the firm failed to resume pending works
• Now, efforts are on to bring in new donors as part of Srivari Seva without cost to the temple body

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to scrap the ongoing modernisation arrangement for the Outer Gallery of Sri Venkateswara Museum at Tirumala after prolonged delays and will now invite fresh donors to complete the remaining works as part of Srivari Seva without cost to the temple body.

The project to upgrade the museum’s outer gallery was earlier handed over on a donation basis to MAP Systems, which had proposed to develop four themed sections — Temple Experience Gallery, Seva Experience Gallery, Vahana Gallery and Sapthagiri Multimedia Gallery. Work orders were issued in August 2019 with an initial completion target set for October that year, and the plan later received formal approval from the TTD Board.

While preliminary civil works, electrical installations, and air-conditioning ducting were partially executed, the project soon ran into repeated setbacks. Deadlines were extended multiple times, including during the pandemic period, with the last extension pushing completion to October 31, 2023. Despite several assurances from the firm — including a promise to restart work in December 2024 and finish by July 2025 — progress remained slow.

TTD officials noted that only about four-fifths of the work in the first of five designated zones was completed, while the remaining areas saw no development. Continuous follow-ups, meetings, and official communications failed to revive the pace of work. Even after a show-cause notice was issued in October 2025 and a response was received, the pending tasks were not resumed.

Citing persistent delays, missed commitments, and financial constraints raised by the contractor, the temple administration concluded that continuing with the existing arrangement was no longer viable.

The matter was placed before the TTD Board, which in its December 16, 2025 resolution approved both the termination of the earlier agreement and the plan to seek new donors to carry forward the gallery modernisation without further hold-ups.