TTD Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy said efforts are on to develop the Sri Venkateswara Museum at Tirumala into a world-class antiquities center by the end of the year.
Speaking to the media on Friday, he said that TTD has already started the development works of the museum with an outlay of ₹120 crore in collaboration with a donor. 3D images of the ornaments of the presiding deity will also be displayed to give a unique experience to the visitors. The facelift work will be completed by the end of December.
In addition, Reliance Group has come forward to bear the cost of automation of the Laddu Pottu (kitchen) to scale up the production of quality Laddu to six lakh units a day.
Anjanadri temple is also being constructed at Akasa Ganga and a donor has come forward to bear the cost of the project, which is estimated to be around ₹50 to ₹60 crore. Besides, work is underway to convert the acacia plantation, and soon the Seshachalam forests will be rich in spice plants, Mr Reddy said.
A suitable date to start the gilding works of the Ananda Nilayam – the two-tiered canopy over the sanctum – will be announced soon in consultation with Agama experts.
The works were scheduled to begin on February 24 with Balayam from March 1, but were postponed after the TTD decided to invite global tenders to prevent any delay in completing the works, as per Mr. Govindaraja Swamy Being seen in the temple, where work is going on. Even after two years, the work is in progress.
As far as the temple’s revenue is concerned, Mr Reddy said the hundi for the eleventh consecutive month has crossed the ₹100 crore mark in January to generate an income of ₹123.07 crore. About 20.78 lakh devotees had darshan of the Lord.
Mr Reddy further said that with the intention of training the youth on spiritual and religious matters, it has been resolved to organize Yuva Dharmayotsavam at TTD Asthana Mandapam in Tirumala on February 5 and 6.