The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams will provide insurance cover to every pilgrim visiting Tirumala, with an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh in case of death at the hill shrine.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to provide insurance cover to every pilgrim visiting Tirumala, with an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh if a pilgrim dies at the hill shrine, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media after reviewing TTD affairs with officials in Tirupati on Wednesday, Naidu said the insurance scheme would be implemented in association with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). The cover would be Aadhaar-based and provided online.

The Chief Minister said the government was working to develop Tirumala as a “sacred and divine pilgrimage centre” while preserving its natural environment. About 89.5% of the Tirumala hills are under green cover, he said.

Naidu said the renovated SV Museum had reopened with exhibits showcasing the glory of Lord Venkateswara, the history of Tirumala, mythological narratives and the deity’s divine wedding. The museum was developed with ₹104 crore contributed by the TCS Trust, and the trust would also be entrusted with its maintenance for the next five years, he said.

A “Durlabh Darshan” healing experience centre has also been established at Vaikuntham Queue Complex-1.

The centre will showcase the glory of Lord Venkateswara and the temple’s history and is intended to enable ordinary pilgrims to experience and understand the shrine’s heritage, the Chief Minister said.

On pilgrim transport, he said 32 new electric buses had been introduced at Tirumala. Reliance Foundation donated 25 buses, and Bharat Biotech donated seven, taking the total number of electric buses available for pilgrim transport in Tirumala to 44.

Under the Srivani programme, the government plans to construct 5,000 temples across Andhra Pradesh, while also renovating existing old temples. Srivari Sevaks would also be linked to these temples.

At present, around 65 temples across the State are associated with the TTD, he said. Plans were also being considered to establish Srivari temples in cities worldwide with sizeable Hindu populations, as well as at constituency headquarters and other locations across Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said the TTD had ₹3,165 crore in the Annadanam Trust corpus and that measures would be taken to improve further the quality of free food served to pilgrims.

The Pranadanam Trust had a corpus of ₹191 crore, while BIRDS had ₹240 crore. The government also planned to integrate hospitals and healthcare institutions, including SVIMS, BIRDS, Ruia Hospital, and the children’s hospital in Tirupati, to provide better medical care.

Doctors would be encouraged to serve as Srivari Sevaks at these hospitals, according to a release.

Published on September 16, 2026