TTD eyes accommodation for mid-range Tirumala devotees

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is contemplating creating suitable accommodation facilities for the middle-segment group of devotees visiting Tirumala.The decision comes in the wake of the new TTD EO Muddada Ravichandra reviewing the status of accommodation facilities for visiting devotees at Tirumala and Tirupati.As things stand, there are plenty of accommodation facilities for devotees opting for free rooms in the hill town with the presence of several pilgrim amenities complexes.In addition, there are plenty of accommodation options in the subsidised category, with rooms available for a single-day rental at rates as low as Rs 50-100.According to TTD sources, there are free and highly subsidised accommodation facilities for nearly 38,000 devotees under this category alone at Tirumala.On the other hand, there are around 700 rooms at the Sri Padmavathi guest house, where the elite and the influential prefer to stay in Tirumala. Ultra-modern guesthouses with world-class amenities have been created over the years.According to TTD sources, while the average pilgrim footfall to Tirumala is between 60,000 and 80,000, nearly 20,000 devotees who opt for Rs 300 special entry Darshan, and a few among those availing "Divya Darshan" tokens by trekking up to Tirumala, have been finding it extremely hard to get suitable accommodation in the mid-segment category during their pilgrimage to Tirumala, as rooms are available only under the free or elite categories.TTD EO Muddada Ravichandra observed that while there are suitable accommodation facilities for devotees opting for free/highly subsidised rooms and for the elite category of devotees, suitable accommodation for the middle-segment devotees is very limited, especially at Tirumala as well as in Tirupati."During his recent review of the TTD, chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu directed the temple trust to initiate steps for the creation of additional accommodation facilities for at least 20,000 devotees in Tirupati. Given the fact that there is very limited accommodation available for the middle-segment category of devotees, there is an urgent need to create suitable accommodation facilities for this category of devotees," TTD EO asserted.