Tirupati: Garuda Varadhi to be completed as per schedule says TTD chief YV Subba Reddy

Tirupati: The prestigious project of the spiritual city 'Garuda Varadhi,' the 6-km long elevated corridor costing Rs 684 crore would be completed in nine months. The project which was taken up jointly by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and Tirupati Smart City Corporation Limited (TSCCL), a SPV of the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) for executing the construction of the elevated corridor, is aimed to ease traffic congestion in the city and also enable the pilgrims to pass directly to Tirumala avoiding the city roads.

TTD which had agreed to bear 66 per cent of the total cost is yet to provide any amount to the project works due to the fund crunch because of by corona induced lockdown which forced Tirumala shrine to be closed for 80 days.

TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy on Friday launched the final stage of erection of segments after performing pooja in the presence of city MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, Municipal Corporation Commissioner P S Girisha and other officials giving impetus to the multi-crore construction work.

Speaking on the occasion, TTD chairman reiterated Devasthanam's commitment to support the project as agreed.

Commissioner Girisha said that 50 per cent of the construction was over and the remaining would be completed in 9 months. Erection of all the pillars and piers were completed, he said adding that the under-pass and bypass works would be taken up soon. Construction of one more Rail Over Bridge (RoB) as part of the corridor will also begin after the Railway approval which is expected in two weeks.

As the TTD deferred the funding till the next financial year, the Corporation sought Afcons Infrastructure Limited to carry on the works by finding its own resources for the completion of the work, the commissioner said asserting that the project would be completed as per schedule.