Contract employees and workers of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) staged a protest outside the TTD Administrative Building in Tirupati on Saturday, demanding that the minimum monthly wage be raised to ₹26,000.

Addressing the protesters, CITU State vice-president Kandarapu Murali said the TTD had a responsibility to improve the wages of contract workers who serve thousands of devotees visiting Tirumala every day.

Questioning how workers could support their families on the present monthly wage of ₹13,000 amid the rising cost of living, he alleged that even those serving devotees were not being provided an opportunity for Srivari darshan.

Mr. Murali also demanded that an Anna Prasadam centre be set up for contract workers and that all contract and outsourcing employees be provided darshan facilities along with Laddu and Vada prasadam entitlement cards.

Warning of an intensified agitation if the demands were not addressed before the annual Brahmotsavam in 2026 or before the next TTD Board meeting, he also expressed concern over the lack of job security for workers engaged through Facility Management Services (FMS).

CITU district president S. Jayachandra and district secretary T. Subramanyam said previous wage revisions had been achieved through the union’s struggles. They also demanded the regularisation of forest workers and alleged that employees in the Water Works Department were working without adequate safety measures.

Published - July 25, 2026 07:06 pm IST