In an attempt to meet the increasing demand for its famed laddus, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has resolved to set up vertical silos for storing ghee at a cost of ₹4.15 crore.
Four 27-kilolitre open type silos with a storage capacity of 24.5 metric tonnes have been proposed to be set up opposite the ghee tank shed on the northern side of the main temple.
Average consumption
The average consumption of ghee – the main ingredient of the laddus and other prasadams at the Lord Venkateswara temple—is around 13 metric tonne on a normal day, which goes up to 15 metric tonne on the days when devotee footfalls at the temple is more.
At present, ghee is being stored in tanks and the total storage capacity of the tanks is about 82.40 metric tonnes, which is sufficient to meet the requirements of the temple for about six days.
However, considering the growing demand for laddus, the TTD has resolved to set up an additional boondi making kitchen close to the one outside the temple complex, thereby increasing its production capacity from the present 3.75 lakh to about 6 lakh a day.
It is against this back drop that it has rather become imperative on the part of TTD to go for the proportionate increase in the storage capacity of ghee, besides ensuring that the stock (ghee) lasts for at least 12 days even during the peak usage.
Former dairy consultant and ghee committee member Vijay Bhaskar Reddy suggests vertical silos with scientific cleaning of the ghee tanks that works on ‘Clean In Place’ (CIP) mode instead of manual cleaning as it also saves time.
The mechanical works including the design, manufacturing, supply, testing and commissioning of the silos are expected to cost around ₹3.20 crore, while the cost of the civil works such as construction of the required base for silos, RCC roof structure for (CIP) system and office rooms has been put around ₹95 lakh.
