Andhra CM withdraws land allotment to Mumtaz Hotels in Tirupati amid protests by Hindu groups

Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu cancels hotel permissions near Tirumala hills amid protests from Hindu groups, asserting commitment to preserve the area's sanctity.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced the cancellation of permissions granted to Mumtaz Hotels, a subsidiary of Oberoi Group, for the construction of hotels near Tirumala hills, at Alipiri in Tirupati district. The decision came in the wake of large scale protests from Hindu groups and seers of various Hindu religious institutions.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with his family members serves ‘Anna Prasadam’ to devotees at Vengamamba in Tirumala. (PTI)

Speaking to reporters in Tirumala, Naidu also announced cancellation of permissions given to two other infrastructure companies – Emaar Constructions and Devlok Group – adjacent to Tirumala hills. While Mumtaz Hotels was allotted 20 acres of land, Emaar Constructions was allotted five acres and Devlok group 10.32 acres.

“We are cancelling all these land allotments and permissions granted to them for the construction of hotels. The tenders called for the same will also be withdrawn. We are committed to our decision not to allow any commercial activity adjacent to Seven Hills of Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateshwara,” he said.

Of the three hotels, the land allotment for the Mumtaz Hotels has triggered a controversy. The permission was given by the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in 2021, for promotion of Tirupati as a major tourist destination as part of the new tourism policy for 2020-2025.

Mumtaz Hotels had planned to build a hotel-cum-resort featuring 100 luxury villas with an initial investment of ₹250 crore.

Several Hindu organisations and seers of various mutts resisted the land allotment to Mumtaz Hotels, claiming it amounted to sacrilege of Tirumala. Under the leadership of seer Srinivasananda Saraswati, several seers launched a protest on February 12 near Alipiri.

Earlier, in December, the Tirumala Kshetra Protection Committee president T Onkar, and Andhra Pradesh Sadhu Parishad president, Srinivasananda Swami, filed separate public interest litigations (PILs) in the state high court, demanding the cancellation of the land allotment to Oberoi Hotels, the parent company of Mumtaz Hotels.

“The construction of Mumtaz Hotels violates the spiritual purity of the Tirumala region and the Sri Venkateswara temple. We shall not allow it under any circumstances,” BJP leader Bhanu Prakash Reddy said.

Naidu said the Oberoi Group had approached the government with an assurance that only vegetarian food would be served at the hotel, in an attempt to align with the religious values of the region. The group also proposed to change the name of Mumtaz Hotels, he said.

“But we told them we can’t give them permissions. We are firm in not allowing any private commercial activity near this sacred place. We told them we shall consider giving an alternative piece of land at a different location, but not at Alipiri,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) executive officer J Shyamala Rao submitted an affidavit in the high court on Friday, reiterating the board’s stand not to permit Mumtaz Hotels near Tirumala hills, people familiar with the matter said.

In its affidavit, Rao said the TTD trust board had already passed a resolution on November 18, 2024, urging the state government to cancel the allotment of 20 acres of land to the Mumtaz Hotels, which proposed constructing luxury villas, bars, lounges, party halls and spas etc.

“Allowing such facilities would violate the sacredness of the Tirumala Hills, contradict Hindu traditions, and be detrimental to the spiritual atmosphere of the temple town,” the executive officer said.

J Shyamala Rao pointed out that under Section 114 of the Endowments Act, the government has the authority to prohibit activities that could harm Tirumala’s sanctity, including begging and the consumption of intoxicants.

The TTD official requested the high court to consider these factors and issue appropriate orders to protect the sanctity of Tirumala.