BANGALORE: Taking cognizance of the difficulties faced by the pilgrims who visited Tirumal in receiving accommodation, the state government has written a letter to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy requesting him to direct the TTD to vacate the stay that is given by the court to the construction of the demolished blocks in Karnataka Choultry in Tirumala.According to sources, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa wrote the letter to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister on July 30.Muzrai Department’s Commissioner Nanda Kumar said, unless the stay is vacated we cannot go ahead with the construction work and as the TTD has not filed its objections in the court, the court is unable to take a decision on the issue.The pilgrims from the state are finding it difficult to get accommodation in Tirumala as most of them are not conversant in Telugu. Yeddyurappa wrote the letter to ensure that the proposed buildings are constructed at the earliest to provide accommodation to the pilgrims from the state.It may be recalled that Yeddyurappa had laid the foundation stone for the construction of three blocks in the Karnataka Choultries property adjacent to West Mada Street in Tirumala to provide better accommodation to the pilgrims from the state at the cost of `83 crore in 2009.Andhra Pradesh High Court had issued a stay against the construction after a local advocate filed a PIL stating that the high-rise buildings around the temple would obstruct the view of the temple.Around 120 rooms were being let out to the devotees from the state in all the 14 blocks and ever since the 12 blocks were demolished only 40 rooms are available for the devotees.According to the information obtained from the PWD, 125 rooms with the necessary amenities were supposed to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 46 crore and dormitories, lounges, VIP suites and a restaurant are supposed to be constructed in the remaining two blocks.
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