Tirupati: Hotel owners cry foul over closing down of 10 restaurants and canteens by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. TTD officials have shut down these food joints as the High Court made a statement that prices of dishes served are exorbitant and commoners cannot afford the same. Owner of Srivatsa canteen, P. Prasad has approached the court after they were imposed penalty and got a stay order, which said that the license of this hotel has not been terminated.

This has irked TTD officials and as an act of revenge, the TTD closed remaining hotels. “If one man approaches the High Court, what can the remaining owners do? The TTD’s action of terminating the licences of hotels is to take revenge on the hotel owners,” a hotel owner said.
Another hotel owner said that the monthly licence fee is very high and is equal to one-month’s licence fee. “Pricing is done based on the goodwill and licence fee. We are not here to do charity,” said a hotel owner. “Despite repeated requests saying that our case should be considered on humanitarian grounds, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam officials acted in a very stern manner,” another hotel owner said.