tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has issued a 15-day eviction notice to Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham for evacuation of new construction sites near the Gogarbham dam. The move follows allegations of unauthorized construction violations of TTD approved building codes.
The controversy dates back to 2005, when TTD rented about 5,000 square feet of land to Peetham to accommodate pilgrims. Peetham occupied an additional 4,817 square feet over the years, expanding its business, which was later formalized by the then-TTD Trust Committee during his tenure at YSRC in 2020. However, TTD’s engineering department later found that both the original structure and the extended structure greatly exceeded the approved building plan.
The original building was constructed in 2007, deviating from the approved design 1,100 square meters. Similar violations occurred in newer structures built on regularized land. Peetham cited terrain constraints and spiritual requirements, such as Vasthu, admitted deviations and expressed his willingness to pay a fine of Rs 25.99 lakh.
In December 2023, the TTD Trust Committee adopted Resolution 443 to formalize the building deviation of 1,851.06 square meters. The decision sparked protests from several Hindu organizations, who conducted early demonstrations in Peetham. The proposal was then forwarded to the then state government for approval.
The coalition government under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu rejected the request for approval after the 2024 General Assembly elections. The government instructed TTD to strictly implement corrective measures and implement construction norms. The TTD appointed committee later identified several violations and encroachments in the Peetham building. It also found that mandatory setbacks have not been maintained and a canal was occupied during the construction of the additional structure.
TTD’s real estate department issued a notice of the reason for the performance to Peetham based on the findings of the committee and the decision of the Trust Committee. Although Peetham challenged the notice in court, the judiciary maintained the TTD’s authority, ruling that the building violated established norms. The court also noted that Peetham’s contempt could set negative precedents for other religious institutions, warning that illegal construction or occupation could lead to licensing or even criminal proceedings.
Last year, under an earlier court order, TTD stopped Peetham’s unauthorized construction activities. According to the new court direction, it has now issued a final notice to make Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham 15 days to evacuate unauthorized premises.
