Massive complex for pilgrims in Tirupati Civic Scan

Yet another massive complex is coming up next to the Govindaraja Pushkarini in the heart of the city to house the pilgrims visiting Tirumala.

‘Vishnu Nivasam’, the seven-storeyed pilgrim amenities complex being constructed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) just opposite the railway station mainly targets the devotees alighting at the station. While ‘Srinivasam’ complex constructed six years back with 600 rooms was the first success story, this complex is all set to script a similar one by meeting the boarding requirements of a major chunk of visitors.
Huge dormitory

The imposing edifice on a plinth area of 5 lakh sq.ft is coming up at the site where the Tirumala bus stand and the almost-century-old TTD’s first choultry stood earlier.

The new complex has a whopping 420 rooms in its third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors, while the cellar portion has a parking lot to accommodate 160 cars. “A huge dormitory with 24 halls is coming up on the second floor, which can provide accommodation to 500 to 600 people and is mainly targeted at devotee groups and bhajan troupes arriving here from across the south, especially on foot,” the TTD’s Chief Engineer V.S.B. Koteswara Rao told The Hindu. He felt that the structure will add yet another feather in the cap of the Devasthanams’ engineering wing. The complex will have an in-house bus station with ten platforms to meet the travel needs of the visitors. APSRTC will operate services directly to Tirumala. The first floor will be the nerve centre of activity, with canteen, dispensary, ATMs, publications stall, RTC reservation counters and TTD seva counters.

The railway authorities may consider setting up a reservation counter as an ‘add-on’ facility here. Similarly, the foot over-bridge proposed long back to connect the railway station with this complex has remained a non-starter. If realised, it will ferry the passengers directly, thus avoiding spillover of crowd on to the roads.