The Covid-19 first wave has resulted in a decline of Rs 800 crore inhundi collectionsat Lord Venkateswara temple atTirumala.
In February, 2020,Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanamstrust board had approved a budget of Rs.3,310 crore for 2020-21 and pegged collections at Rs.1351 crore.
Due to lockdown, the temple was closed for worship for the first time in last 129 years.
The temple was opened in June 2020 with several curbs in line with Covid-19 guidelines, with impact on overall revenues including ticket collections, sale of prasadams, accommodation rentals and hundi collections.
As the 12-month period ended in March 2020, the Tirumala temple received Rs.545.95 crore in Hundi as against the estimate of Rs.1351 crore. But due to the second wave, the temple’s Hundi collections declined in the first quarter of 2021.