Tirupati's TTD to auction 50 immovable properties in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Board has decided to auction 50 immovable properties in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, worth Rs 23.92 crore, through a public auction. This includes 23 properties in Tamil Nadu, 26 properties in Andhra Pradesh and one land in Rishikesh, according to TTD documents.

TTD Board in a decision resolved to dispose of the immovable properties with an upset value or bidding value fixed at a total of Rs 1.5 crore, including house buildings, agricultural land, housing sites among others, which are unviable, through a public auction, according to the documents.

Two teams have been constituted for conducting the public auction, finalising successful bidders, registration of documents in favour of successful bidders, and remittance of sale proceeds to the TTD account.

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Backlash from various quarters

The decision to auction the immovable properties received heavy backlash from various quarters, against the TTD Board and the state government. BJP leader Duggabati Purandeswari, co-in charge of Karnataka BJP, condemned the sale of TTD lands, saying they were donated by devotees out of reverence to Lord Tirumala Venkateswara and TTD was only a custodian of these lands. 

Acknowledging the criticism, TTD Chairman Y V Subba Reddy said that the decision was taken by the previous Board of Trustees and the Board had in the past sold several such unviable assets through auction. He further said that the 50 immovable properties in AP and Tamil Nadu are not useful and prone to encroachment. Adding further he said according to rules, the TTD Board was competent to sell, exchange and mortgage the immovable properties, if found beneficial to TTD.

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TTD appeals devotees not to fall for false rumours

Reddy also appealed to the devotees not fall for the false reports that created confusion and hurt the sentiments of the pilgrims. The practice of selling immovable, non-maintainable and not useful properties has been in place since 1974. Between 1974-2014, about 129 such immovable properties, which were not useful to TTD activities, were disposed of in public auctions, said the TTD release.

The temple is closed for darshan in the view of nationwide lockdown put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.

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