In a bid to develop satellite townships at farther places and ensure planned expansion of the city, the Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) has chalked out ambitious plans to take up land pooling to the extent of 2,000 acres in the area with an idea to expand its limit further by putting in place a sustainable development mechanism. Apart from the government land, the TUDA plans to pool huge chunks from individuals, develop them and allot a fixed portion, thus turning benefactors into beneficiaries. The remaining portion will be developed into layouts and the plots auctioned to public. The last time that a housing colony was planned for Tirupati was in the early nineties at the Congress plenary site in Avilala, which however remained a non-starter. To start with it will earmark a certain percentage of houses to the poor and middle classes to make housing affordable, while the remaining will be put on open auction, said an official spokesperson.
