Thu Dec 18 04:30:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is facing controversy after the government allotted 20 acres of TTD land at the foot of Tirumala hills to the Oberoi Group for the construction of a five-star resort. YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy criticized the decision, deeming it a misuse of TTD land and questioned the lack of return to TTD. He also alleged irregularities, including the felling of redsanders trees and commencement of work without a work order. He further questioned why the government would take land when government land was available.

News Article:

Controversy Erupts Over TTD Land Allotment to Oberoi Group in Tirupati

TIRUPATI, December 17, 2025 – A political storm is brewing in Tirupati over the government’s decision to allocate 20 acres of prime Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) land to the Oberoi Group for the construction of a luxury resort at Alipiri, the base of the Tirumala hills.

YSRCP leader and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy vehemently condemned the move, calling it a “sin” and a violation of the TTD Act. Reddy stated that the land, valued at ₹520 crore, according to official records, should not be diverted for commercial purposes when the government could have used available government land.

“The TTD’s land parcels at Alipiri are invaluable,” Reddy told reporters Wednesday. “Giving them away to a private entity for building a resort is not only condemnable but also a sin.”

Reddy further alleged that the government had swapped a less desirable plot of land with a more prominent TTD-owned property after the Oberoi Group’s initial proposal faced controversy. He suspects a conspiracy behind the land swap.

During a site visit, Reddy also raised concerns about environmental damage, claiming that work had begun without official authorization and that redsanders trees had been felled indiscriminately in the ecologically sensitive zone. He called upon Environment and Forest Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh to address the issue.

The controversy highlights the sensitive nature of TTD land and the potential for political fallout when such assets are transferred to private entities. The YSRCP is demanding a thorough investigation into the land allotment and assurances that the TTD’s interests will be protected.

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