SVU Road Project Scrapped: Alumni, Students Hail Victory
Tirupati: The long-standing controversy over the proposed construction of three master plan roads through Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) campus in Tirupati has finally ended, with the state government officially scrapping the plan. The announcement by municipal administration minister Dr P. Narayana in the Legislative Council has been met with celebrations from students, faculty, and alumni who fought to protect the university’s academic and ecological integrity.
The Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) had proposed two 80-ft roads and one 100-ft road through the campus, citing the need to improve city connectivity. However, the move faced strong opposition, with students and alumni warning that it would endanger the university’s lush green cover, including its rare botanical research gardens, while also posing security risks. They argued that the plan would transform the serene campus into a noisy corridor of vehicular traffic.
What began as a student protest quickly gained momentum, drawing support from political parties and alumni associations. “This wasn’t just about roads; it was about preserving the identity of a campus that has nurtured generations of scholars,” said Dr K. Raghunath, an SVU alumnus and retired professor.
The protests also took a political turn, with YSRC leaders backing the project, while the then opposition parties, including the Telugu Desam and BJP, criticised it. YSRC activists even burn effigies of rival leaders who opposed the roads. However, allegations soon surfaced that the true intent behind the project was to provide easier access to a star hotel under construction near Zoo Park Road and a commissioner’s bungalow coming up nearby.
Amid mounting pressure, the MCT put the project on hold, but the controversy refused to die down. Faculty members—both serving and retired—formed a WhatsApp group titled ‘Save SVU – Don’t Destroy the Campus, ’ which became a nerve centre for mobilising protests and raising public awareness. “We had to use every platform we could to spread the word. This was a fight to save the very soul of SVU,” said R. Sulochana, an alumna and former research scholar.
The matter regained political attention after the NDA government came to power. MLC Bhumireddy Ramgopal Reddy raised the issue in the Legislative Council, pressing for a clear decision on the project’s fate. Responding to the query, Minister Narayana announced that the road proposal had been scrapped, putting an end to months of uncertainty.
