Annamayya Pathway opens

hief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy inaugurated several projects here on Tuesday evening aiming to create additional facilities for devotees visiting the hill shrine.
He was accorded a warm welcome by the trust board chairman Kanumuri Bapiraju and other board members including executive officer (EO) LV Subramanyam and joint executive officer (JEO) Srinivasa Raju.
The chief minister inaugurated and declared open Annamayya Marg, the newly renovated ancient path which is said to be used by the great saint-poet Annamayya to reach Tirumala.
Later, Kiran Kumar Reddy inaugurated the ‘Venkata Patham’, first phase of the Tirumala ring road. The 0.75 km long project costing Rs 5 crore was completed recently.
He also laid the base for ‘Vakula Vishranti Nilayam’ and the kitchen complex near the Vaikuntham Q complex, after which he returned to Sri Padmavati guest house. Earlier, at the Nada Neerajana mandapam,  the chief minister released a spiritual book ‘Tirumala ananda nilaya sasanalu’ which describes the valuable content embedded in the inscriptions engraved on the walls of the Tirumala shrine in Telugu, Tamil, Sanskrit and Kannada languages. Later, he released pamphlets with the name ‘Tirumala Teerthalu’ which describes the importance of the sacred waterfalls spread across the beautiful Seshachala ranges which includes Japali, Chakra, Sanakasananda, Ramakrishna and Tumburu teerthams.
He also released a pamphlet named ‘Srivari Kanukaga Andina Nanela Vaisistyam’ which describes the history of various coins donated in Srivari Hundi since 1st Century AD.
The chief minister presented a pair of ‘silk vastrams’ to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala on behalf of the state government, for the Sri Vari Annual Salakatla Brahmotsavam in Tirumala on Tuesday night.
He carried the silver plate containing the ‘vastrams’ on his head from the Bedi Anjaneya Swamy temple to the Venkateswara temple and was accompanied by temple paraphernalia and the ‘nadaswaram’ music. Later, he presented the ‘vastrams’ to one of chief priests Ramana Dikshitulu, inside the sanctum sanctorum.

Tirumala replica in Kanyakumari to come up in 1 year

After assuming the charge as chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for a record third time, Kanumuri Bapiraju looks forward to serving lakhs of devotees visiting Tirumala with more commitment and enthusiasm.
 Express caught up with Bapiraju for a quick interview. Excerpts:
Congratulations for retaining the post and making it for the third time. As there will be more expectations on you, what are your priorities for the next two-year tenure?
I have no other priorities but serving the pilgrims in a better way. I would interact with them directly in every possible way and try to address their complaints to facilitate a hassle-free darshan of Lord Venkateshwara. My aim is to ensure that each devotee leaves Tirumala with satisfaction.
Are you satisfied with the work done during your previous term?
During the 365 days in office, I visited the Annadhana Satram and Vaikuntam Queue Complex 68 times each to get firsthand information from devotees on their problems and addressed most of them. God gave me another opportunity to serve the devotees.
What are the other major projects you will take up in the next two years?
The construction of temples in Kanyakumari and Kurukhsetra will be completed in the next one year. The Kanyakumari temple is almost a replica of the Tirumala temple and will have a Ghosala, Vedapathashala, staff quarters and a pilgrim amenities.
What are your plans for the welfare of TTD employees?
We have a challenge for providing house sites for all TTD employees. Since we are not able find a place nearby the pilgrim town, we are trying to find a suitable site at some distance. Irrespective of their positions, all the employees will be given houses in the next two years.

Better facilities await Tirumala pilgrims

The temple management of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, along with the Indian Railways, have decided to provide better facilities to devotees visiting Titupati from across the country.

Addressing media at Tirupati on Friday, TTD chairman Kanumuri Baapiraju said: “Tirupathi being the highest revenue grosser, they have planned to construct a foot over bridge connecting Vishnu Nivasam and Railway station and asked the concerned officials to prepare and submit the design of the plan in 15 days to Railway DRM office.” The DRM will take decision in another two weeks time after observing the designs, he added.

A TTD information centre will also come up in the Railway station soon to provide necessary information regarding accommodation, darshan and other facilities. Railway e-Ticket counters will also be set up in Srinivasam, Vishnunivasam and SV Guest house for the pilgrims will be built.

Bapiraju said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will lay the foundation stone to the pucca houses meant for the Tirumala displaced families on April 22. He will also lay the foundation to a sub-way to be constructed between the Srinivasam Complex and the RTC bus stand in Tirupati.

Panels to supervise TTD works

TTD trust board chairman Kanumuri Bapiraju said they were contemplating committees with board members to supervise various works.
 The TTD trust board meeting, held here on Tuesday for the first time after the appointment of new trust members, reviewed the arrangements for the ensuing Salakatla Brahmotsavams and the visit of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, slated to arrive September 18 for offering silk vasthrams to the Lord on behalf of the state government.
 The CM will also inaugurate Tiruvenkatapatham ring road,he said

Bapiraju eyes second term as Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams chief

HYDERABAD: Kanumuri Bapiraju is eyeing a second term as Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman even as he faces stiff competition from senior Congress leaders who are also leaving no stone unturned to bag the coveted post. The term of the present trust board headed by Bapiraju ends next month. Though the TTD chairman has a two-year term, the government gave him only one-year term last year after the devasthanams was embroiled in several controversies with the specified authority managing the affairs of the richest temple for some time.
Sources said the chances of Bapiraju getting a second term were bright as his tenure was non-controversial, if not effective. "None of Bapiraju's predecessors had a smooth sailing as their names cropped up in controversies and scams. But Bapiraju has so far managed to run the board smoothly by putting his foot down where it mattered the most," a TTD insider said. Sources said Bapiraju had been in constant touch with Union minister Chidambaram and new president Pranab Mukherjee. Pranab reportedly called up Bapiraju and asked him to rush to Delhi with Lord Venkateswara's famous laddu prasadam ahead of his swearing-in as the 13{+t}{+h} President on Wednesday morning. "Bapiraju is confident about getting an extension owing to his proximity to Congress president Sonia Gandhi," a senior TTD official told TOI. Bapiraju was much in news for the goof up in issuing thousands of passes to VIP pilgrims during Ekadasi celebrations in January this year, forcing some MLAs to complain to the assembly speaker on the 'quota' system for the VIPs.

శ్రీవారి సేవకు చేనేత వస్త్రాలు వినియోగిస్తాం : కనుమూరి

ఇకపై శ్రీవారి సేవలన్నింటికీ చేనేత వస్త్రాలను వినియోగించనున్నట్టు తిరుమల తిరుపతి దేవస్థానం ఛైర్మన్ కనుమూరి బాపిరాజు వెల్లడించారు. ఈ వస్త్రాలను ఆప్కో సంస్థ ద్వారా కొనుగోలు చేయనున్నట్టు తెలిపారు.

ఈ అంశంపై ఆయన బుధవారం ఢిల్లీ మీడియాతో మాట్లాడుతూ... శ్రీవారి పూజలకు ఇక నుంచి రసాయన కలుషితాలు లేకుండా నేసిన వస్త్రాలనే వినియోగించాలని నిర్ణయం తీసుకుంటామన్నారు. ఇందుకు ఏటా అయ్యే రెండు కోట్ల రూపాయల విలువ చేసే నగదు నేత కార్మికులకు అందితే భక్తులు ఇచ్చే విరాళాలు సైతం సద్వినియోగమౌతాయన్నారు.

ఇకపోతే.. తిరుమల తిరుగిరుల్లో అన్యమత ప్రచారం సాగకుండా కఠిన చర్యలు తీసుకుంటామన్నారు. ముఖ్యంగా, తితిదే సిబ్బందిని తొలుత చైతన్యవంతులు చేయాల్సి ఉందన్నారు. ఇటీవల ముగ్గురు తితిదే సిబ్బంది అన్యమత ప్రచారం చేస్తూ పట్టుబడిన విషయాన్ని ఆయన గుర్తు చేశారు. భవిష్యత్‌లో ఇలాంటివి జరుగకుండా మరిన్ని జాగ్రత్తలు తీసుకోనున్నట్టు ఆయన తెలిపారు

Service is above politics: Bapiraju

The TTD chairman, Mr Kanumuri Bapiraju, was all praise for senior BJP leader, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, and his daughter, Ms Deepa Venkat, for their service to the poor and needy through the Swarna Bharat Trust established by them at Venkatachalam.

The TTD chairman, Mr Kanumuri Bapiraju, was all praise for senior BJP leader, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, and his daughter, Ms Deepa Venkat, for their service to the poor and needy through the Swarna Bharat Trust established by them at Venkatachalam.
He was addressing a programme organised on the occasion of distribution of artificial limbs and other aids produced by Jaipur-based Bhagwan Mahaveer Vikalang Sahayata Samithi to the disabled at Swarna Bharat Trust in Venkatachalam, 16 kms from Nellore on Monday.
He said that it was better to keep social service matters away from politics. He claimed that the TTD was providing contact lens through Sankar Netralaya free.
He also pointed to earmarking sizable funds for supply of artificial limbs and other gadgets for the disabled through the Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilit-ation for the Disabled (BIRRD hospital).
He said that they will also conduct a free medical camp under the auspices of BIRRD at Swarna Bharath Trust soon.
He recalled his association with Mr Venkaiah Naidu since 1978 when both were legislators.
In his address, Mr Venkaiah Naidu felt that giving the TTD chairman’s post to Mr Bapiraju instead of to contractors, traders and others, was a sound decision, pointing to his spiritual bent of mind and service oriented approach. He stressed the need to create opportunities for the disabled on par with others.
He lauded Bhagwan Mahaveer Vikalang Sahayata Samiti for their service.
Dr Prabhakar, disabled welfare wing AD, Ms Vani and urban IKP PD, Ms Kamalakumari, Mahaveer Samithi representative, Mr Indra Sen Singh and RVM PD, Mr S.K. Jilani Basha, participated in the programme.