Will develop Tirupati into world-class ‘Spiritual city’: CM Naidu
In Short
- Naidu initiates Rs 3,222-cr developmental works
- Township near Alipiri with around 2,700 rooms to accommodate 15,000 pilgrims
- A Rs 310-cr multi-level parking complex
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Will develop Tirupati into world-class ‘Spiritual city’: CM Naidu
Tirupati: Tirupati is set to get improved accommodation, food, transport, and parking facilities for pilgrims visiting Tirumala, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu virtually initiating from Amaravati on Monday projects worth Rs 3,222.12 crore.
According to the Chief Minister, the government aims to develop Tirupati into a world-class spiritual city by integrating spirituality, modern technology, and environmental protection. The projects include an integrated tourism township near Alipiri, a multi-level parking complex, a residential layout for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) employees, and nine roads under a master plan of the Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA).
Naidu said serving pilgrims visiting Lord Venkateswara was equivalent to serving the deity.
He directed officials to ensure that devotees received proper accommodation, annaprasadam, transport, parking, and healthcare facilities without inconvenience. He stressed the need to develop alternative facilities in Tirupati to protect the sanctity of Tirumala and ensure that pilgrims experience a spiritual atmosphere from the moment they entered the city.
The integrated tourism township near Alipiri is planned to accommodate 15,000 pilgrims in around 2,700 rooms. An annaprasadam facility costing about Rs 120 crore will be established to serve 6,000 devotees at a time. A Pilgrims Experience Centre will introduce visitors to the history of Lord Venkateswara, the significance of Tirumala, and its culture and traditions.
To address traffic congestion and parking problems, a multi-level parking complex, costing around Rs 310 crore, will be developed with a capacity to accommodate 4,500 vehicles. An integrated transport terminal, estimated to cost Rs 90 crore, will provide space for 30 buses. The government has also proposed residential plots for 5,192 TTD employees across around 418 acres. The project is estimated to cost Rs 230 crore, with TTD contributing Rs 150 crore and employees contributing Rs 80 crore. Each plot is proposed to measure an average of up to 1,800 square feet. The Chief Minister called for developing nine roads as per TUDA master plan to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity among different parts of the city and nearby industrial centres. He directed officials to protect and restore lakes, connect and clean water bodies, develop walking tracks, and increase green cover. Officials were asked to examine options to meet Tirupati's future water requirements.
Naidu said Tirupati should strengthen its healthcare and education sectors by coordinating the development of institutions such as Ruia Hospital, SVIMS, medical colleges and universities. Emphasising cleanliness, scientific waste management, and environmental protection, the Chief Minister asked officials to prepare a long-term plan to move the city towards net-zero development.
He set a target of completing the works, as far as possible, within two years and making them available to the public. District Collector Dr S Venkateswar, Joint Collector R Govinda Rao, Municipal Commissioner M Jayakrishna, legislators Arani Srinivasulu, Pulivarthi Nani and Jyothula Nehru, TUDA Chairman C Divakar Reddy, TTD board members Panabaka Lakshmi and G Bhanu Prakash Reddy, and other officials attended the programme from Tirupati.
Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana participated virtually. TTD Executive Officer M Ravi Chandra and Additional Executive Officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary joined the programme from Tirumala.
App for pilgrims launched
The Chief Minister virtually launched ‘Venkatadri’, a digital navigation and pilgrim-assistance mobile application developed by the TTD. The app helps devotees navigate Tirumala and locate essential facilities, with an AI-powered voice assistant offering round-the-clock guidance, according to a press release.
Pilgrims can use voice commands to locate facilities such as drinking-water points and darshan entry points. The app supports offline navigation, allowing devotees to use it in areas with weak or no internet connectivity.
Venkatadri maps more than 350 locations across 25 categories of facilities, such as drinking-water points, hospitals and medical centres, parking areas, public toilets, and bus stops. It maps darshan entry points, luggage centres, free footwear-deposit centres, food outlets and canteens, room-allotment counters, pilgrim help desks, TTD offices and sub-enquiry offices.
The app provides one-touch access to emergency contacts, police services, and the TTD helpline. It also displays bus routes and timings. Its ‘Mark My Spot’ feature allows pilgrims to save their parking location or another important place and navigate back to it.
Available in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English, Venkatadri is intended to make it easier for pilgrims to navigate Tirumala and access essential services. TTD is developing kiosk facilities for pilgrims who do not own smartphones.
