Three guest houses within the town, run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) trust, are already being used by the district administration to accommodate homeless persons and stranded migrant workers, Newsminute has reported.

District officials in Chittoor have converted temple guest houses into quarantine centres, where contacts of COVID-19 patients are being isolated and monitored.

Three guest houses within the town, run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) trust, are already being used by the district administration to accommodate homeless persons and stranded migrant workers. Another guest house with around 500 rooms has now been taken over to be used as quarantine centres, for people who have been at risk of infection from known COVID-19 patients.

“A new building called Padmavati Nilayam which hasn’t been used by devotees yet, has been handed over to the district administration. Unlike the other guest houses, it is located far from the temple and the town itself, along the Renigunta road,” a TTD official said. 

The temple EO said that the guest house, called Ganesh Sadan, has its entrance designed to look like that of a temple, but is actually located around 500 metres away from the actual temple premises. “The temple has been closed for visitors ever since the state government announced lockdown. Only a few rituals are taking place inside,” Devullu said. 

The Srikalahasteeswara temple in Srikalahasti town has also prepared its 32-room guest house to be used for quarantine purposes. “Earlier, eight people had been brought in, but as the number increased, they were shifted to state tourism department facilities. If the tourism department guest house is filled up, people will be accommodated at the temple guest house,” Srikalahasti Mandal Revenue Officer Zareena said. 

Image Source: Newsminute