Tirupati: Former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has levelled serious allegations against the TDP government, accusing it of pushing the temple trust into a highly disadvantageous land deal to benefit a private luxury hotel group near Alipiri, the main gateway to Tirumala.

Addressing the media in Tirupati on Wednesday, Bhumana said the government facilitated transfer of 20 acres of prime TTD land located near Alipiri, with an estimated Sub-Registrar Office (SRO) value of about Rs 460 crore, to the Oberoi group for setting up a five-star villa resort. He alleged that this was done under the guise of a land exchange, causing a massive financial loss to the temple trust.

According to him, the controversy began when 20 acres of land in Peruru village of Tirupati rural mandal was initially allotted to Mumtaz Hotels Private Limited. Strong objections were raised by devotees and religious heads, prompting the TTD Trust Board to pass a resolution urging the State government to cancel the allocation. In response, the hotel group reportedly agreed to change its name to ‘Svara Hotels Ltd’ to address religious concerns.

However, Bhumana alleged that instead of continuing with the originally allotted Peruru land, the government engineered what he called an ‘unprecedented and unfair land swap’. He pointed out that the SRO value of the Peruru tourism land was only about Rs 18 crore, while the Alipiri land handed over by TTD was worth nearly Rs 460 crore. He claimed the real market value could be well above Rs 1,000 crore.

He further alleged that the government issued GO Ms No 45 on December 13, approving the allocation of 20 acres of TTD land in Survey No 588/A near Alipiri. Adding to the controversy, the lease rent was fixed at just one per cent of the SRO value. The government also waived stamp duty and registration charges worth around Rs 26 crore and an additional Rs 32 crore related to the exchange deed, he said.

Questioning the intent behind these decisions, Bhumana asked why the government chose to pressure TTD instead of allotting government-owned revenue land to the hotel group elsewhere in Tirupati. He also raised environmental concerns, alleging that the land falls in an ecologically sensitive zone and that red sanders trees were felled to clear the site for the project.

Calling the deal ‘murky and damaging’, Bhumana demanded a thorough investigation and urged religious leaders and spiritual organisations to come forward to protect the sanctity of Alipiri and the interests of the Tirumala temple.