The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is planning to implement free  tonsuring at all points on the hills from May 1, a move that has split the barber unions.
 
The decision had already been taken in principle and if the Board is formed this week, authorities will go ahead with implementing it, said Srinivasa Raju, joint executive officer at Tirumala.
 
Tonsuring is done at three places, at the main Kalyana Katta and two guesthouses since 1985. Later, due to increasing rush, the TTD had opened another 15 points, mainly at all the devotee guest houses like Ram Bagicha, Varahaswamy, Narayana Vanam, Padmavathi Complex etc.
 
With reports pouring in of a section of barbers fleecing the devotees, TTD has conducted a survey and decided to close down eight points like Vishnupadam, Kaustubham, Srinvasam, Sannidhanam etc. The staffs are to  be shifted to Kalyana Katta and the other centres, a move that has not gone down well with the barbers’ unions.
 
The barber unions are powerful in Tirumala. There were three of them — the old union with 285 members who were able to get permanent jobs due  to the mirasi system; the “piece-rate barbers” with around 305 members who made money by tonsuring devotees at cottages or guest houses; and  the third one, Srivari Sevakulu, with 840 members, mostly from Chittoor and neighbouring districts.
 
Members of this last union cut hair free of cost as a service to God. They are posted at Kalyana Katta and other places although allegations of many of them collecting money illegally has often been reported. Now, both contract barbers and the Sevakulus have come together to form one union.