Tirupati Balaji temple, richest Hindu temple leaves 1,300 workers jobless amid coronavirus outbreak

Amaravati, May 02: Well known to be one of India's richest Hindu shrine, Tirupati Balaji temple in Andhra Pradesh ends contract with 1,300 workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. It is reportedly said that the staffers were taking care of the temple's sanitation and were told not to report for work from May 1.

It is reportedly said the firm, that supplied the workers was intimated that the contract, which allegedly expired on April 30, would not be renewed. Y V Subba Reddy, the chairman of the temple's trust told a media organisation that their services were discontinued.

Reddy said the regular employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) have also not been assigned work ever since the nationwide lockdown was announced by the Centre and state government.

According to reports, TTD's budget for the present financial year is Rs 3,309 crore. The proposals finalised in February may undergo reviews owing to COVID-19 situation.

Meanwhile, the workers have appealed to the temple's administration to allow them to continue their work during this crucial crisis. However, the TTD administration is not willing to renew the contract with the existing contract supplier.

One of India's richest shrine has been closed since March 20 as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the daily rituals are performed by the priests. Only the devotees are not allowed inside the shrine.