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The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday has approved a leasing of a 395 sq. metre government plot in prime Bandra locality to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) for 30 years at a token rent of Re 1 a year, allowing the temple trust to expand its facilities for devotees in Mumbai with a new parking area, information centre and office complex.
According to the decision taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the land, located in Bandra (suburban Mumbai), will continue to remain under the ownership of the Revenue Department, while the TTD will be permitted to use it strictly for the purposes approved by the state government.
A senior government official said that the newly leased land parcel is exactly opposite an existing 648 sq. metre plot that was earlier leased to the temple trust.
With the addition of the new area, the TTD plans to develop enhanced amenities, including administrative offices and a dedicated information centre to serve devotees visiting its Mumbai facilities. Under the lease conditions, the temple trust must complete construction within three years.
Once the project is completed, the trust will be required to hand over 2,000 sq. ft. of built-up, fully furnished space in the building to the District Collector of Mumbai Suburban for government use.
“The land will remain government property and can only be used for the specific public and religious purposes for which it has been allotted,” said a senior official from the Revenue Department.
“The lease has been granted at a nominal rent considering the public service role of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam,” the official added.
The Cabinet decision also specifies that after the 30-year lease period, the TTD will be required to seek renewal as per prescribed government procedure. Any deviation from the stipulated terms or delay in construction could invite action, including possible cancellation of the lease.
This is the second land parcel to be allotted to the TTD in Bandra. The earlier allotment of 648 sq. metres had been made for a regional information and service centre to facilitate devotees from Mumbai and western India who frequently visit the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh.
According to officials, the new development will help the TTD improve facilities for pilgrims, streamline its administrative operations in Mumbai, and offer better public amenities. “Thousands of devotees from Mumbai travel to Tirupati every month. This centre serves as an important link for coordination and outreach,” the official said.
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