The Karnataka government has handed over the operation and maintenance of Karnataka Bhavan in Tirumala to the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) under a 10-year agreement aimed at providing cleaner, safer and more affordable accommodation for pilgrims from the state.
The agreement was signed between the Muzrai Department and KSTDC, according to a statement reported by Prajavani. The arrangement covers five major blocks at the property, with a combined capacity of 377 rooms, 12 dormitories and a kalyana mantapa, along with other hospitality facilities.
KSTDC will be responsible for operating and maintaining the facilities during the 10-year term. The state has also planned phased upgrades, with an emphasis on maintaining the property to at least three-star hotel standards. The move places the day-to-day management of the government-owned pilgrim accommodation under the state tourism corporation rather than leaving it solely within the existing administrative structure.
The agreement was announced at a programme chaired by Karnataka Tourism Minister K.J. George. Muzrai Minister K.S. Basavanna and KSTDC chairman M. Srinivas were also present. Officials from the tourism, revenue and Muzrai departments, as well as KSTDC, attended the programme.
George said a large number of pilgrims from Karnataka travel to Tirupati and Tirumala, making access to good-quality and affordable accommodation a priority. He also said that information, connectivity and tourist facilities could be linked with the state’s other pilgrimage destinations so that visitors extend their travel beyond Tirupati–Tirumala.
The new operating arrangement therefore covers more than a routine maintenance contract. It assigns a state tourism corporation responsibility for managing a sizeable public hospitality asset outside Karnataka’s borders, while connecting the facility to the state’s wider pilgrimage tourism system. The immediate operational focus, however, remains the condition and usability of the Tirumala property.
Basavanna said the facility should not be treated only as a commercial activity and that it must be managed as a service to devotees, with care and responsibility. That position places service standards and affordability alongside the stated objective of professional management.
The property’s scale means that implementation will involve the upkeep of 377 rooms, 12 dormitories and associated facilities over the duration of the agreement. The statement did not specify the schedule for each phase of renovation, the expected investment, room tariffs or the operational arrangements during the upgrades.
The next stage will be the phased improvement and management of the five blocks and related hospitality facilities under KSTDC. The agreement will remain in force for 10 years, with the corporation expected to operate the property at the stated minimum three-star standard.
