On last day, TTD chairman Subba Reddy reminisces about his 4-year tenure

Tirumala: With his tenure coming to an end, TTD Trust Board chairman YV Subba Reddy looked back at the programs and initiatives he chaired during his tenure.

“Cancelling L1, L2, and L3 categorisation and changing the VIP break darshan timings to late morning hours, and allowing common pilgrims to have darshan by reducing their waiting time in queues and compartments are some of the most satisfying decisions I took in my four-year term,” he said.

On Monday, Subba Reddy held a final media brief before ending his tenure on August 8. YV Subba Reddy was appointed as TTD chairman for two consecutive terms. In the four years, he was the TTD chief, several pilgrim-friendly initiatives and development works were implemented.

He thanked the TTD EO AV Dharma Reddy, and the entire workforce of TTD, for supporting his decisions and carrying them out in a successful manner to the satisfaction of the pilgrims.

Subba Reddy said that his board took many crucial decisions during his tenure, of which providing hassle-free darshan to more pilgrims was his most satisfying decision.

Other important decisions taken by the board during Subba Reddy’s tenure include:

- Approval of Rs 75.86 crore worth of advanced equipment for the Sri Padmavathi Children’s Heart Centre, coming up in Tirupati adjacent to Ruia Hospital.

- Sanction of Rs 24 crore towards the construction of protection walls along both ghat roads to avoid road accidents.

- Sanction of Rs 23.50 crore for constructing a queue complex for devotees in Tiruchanoor akin to the Vaikuntham queue complex in Tirumala.

- Approval of Rs 14.10 crore for the construction of an additional floor and ground floor at SV Ayurvedic Hospital and another Rs 3 crore towards the construction of two more floors in the girls’ hostel in Ayurvedic College.

- Sanction of Rs 11 crore towards the construction of a boys hostel for students of SV College of Music and Dance at SV Nadaswaram School and Rs 9.85 crore towards the development works of Vakulamata Temple with SRIVANI Trust funds.

- Sanction of Rs 5 crore towards various development works at SV Vedic University and Rs 4 crore for laying shelters from Mokalimettu to Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple footway.

- Approval of Rs 4.50 crore for procuring advanced machinery in making Srivari Annaprasadams and another Rs 4.25 crore for setting up a ghee plant in SV Gosala.

- Approval of Rs 3.10 crore development works in Srinivasa Mangapuram temple.

- Sanction of Rs 3 crore for constructing a subway (extension) near Srinivasam

- Sanction of Rs 2.5 crore towards the development works in PAC1.

- Approval of Rs 2.2 crore for building a charging station for electric buses in Tirumala.

- Approval of Rs 2.2 crore for constructing a new TBCD ward in Ruia Hospital.

- Sanction of Rs 1.65 crore towards the development of Veshalamma and Tallpaka Pedda Gangamma temples in Tirupati.

- Approval of Rs 1.25 crore towards laying fencing for the 69 TTD properties at different places across the country, identified as unprotected.

- Approval of the construction of 26 more temples under SRIVANI Trust funds and agreeing to release Rs 118.83 crore for the last phase after the completion of Srinivasa Setu works.

Subba Reddy announced that renowned and veteran Annamacharya Project artist, Dr Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, has been given an extension for three more years to serve as Asthana Vidhwan of TTD.

Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, the new TTD Trust Board chairman succeeding Subba Reddy, lauded the impeccable and selfless services of his predecessor. “With complete dedication and devotion, Subba Reddy has brought in revolutionary changes keeping in view the larger interests of the pilgrims. The way in which he discharged his duties and responsibilities as TTD chairman are praiseworthy and definitely an inspiration to his successors,” he said.