The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy has directed the engineering officials to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for conversion of the trekking route from Mamandur to Tirumala Paruveta Mandapam into a motorable road.
This was the ancient route taken by saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya to reach Tirumala, and hence is popularly known today as ‘Annamayya Margam’.
Accompanied by officials of the departments concerned, Mr. Reddy on Sunday inspected the forest route that takes a detour from the Tirupati-Kadapa highway at Mamandur village.
He directed the team to prepare a comprehensive survey and send proposals to the Forest Department for reviving the route, as resolved by the TTD Trust Board recently.
Mr. Reddy acknowledged that the route would be useful for the devotees coming on foot from Kadapa district, besides for vehicles from Kurnool, Hyderabad and beyond.
The third route had become a necessary alternative in view of the landslides witnessed in the other two ghat roads due to the recent rain havoc.
Mr. Reddy harped on the need to stay away from disturbing the wildlife in the biodiversity-rich forest while preparing the DPR for a distance of 23 km of ghat road.
The idea was mooted first during former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s term, and the TTD board had discussed it as well, Mr. Subba Reddy recalled, adding that it had taken shape after the nod from Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
TTD Forest Officer Srinivasulu Reddy and Deputy Executive Engineer (Civil) Ramakoteswar Rao were present.
