TIRUPATI: Sarva Darshan token counters which were closed on Tuesday owing to unprecedented pilgrim rush will reopen on Saturday, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) JEO KS Sreenivasa Raju told mediapersons at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala on Thursday evening. The Sarva Darshan token system was introduced to relieve pilgrims of long waiting hours ahead of darshan, the JEO explained. Waiting time touched 72 hours thanks to the summer vacation rush, forcing the TTD to close counters at Tirumala on May 22.
Earlier, the JEO held a review meeting with IT and Vigilance officials at Gokulam Rest House conference hall where it was decided that a quota system would be followed for Sarva Darshan on the lines of Special Entry and Divya Darshan systems.
“We will issue 30,000 tokens on Saturday and Sunday; 17,000 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and 20,000 on Monday and Friday,” he said and added, “ These tokens will be issued daily till the quota limit for the day expires. The next quota will be decided when the next day begins.” The JEO urged all pilgrims to bring Aadhaar cards for identification. “Aadhaar is a must for Sarva Darshan. Voter id cards can be submitted only if the pilgrim does not have an Aadhaar card,” he appealed.