TIRUMALA: TTD executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal has clarified that devotees above 65 years and kids under 10 years will not be allowed for darshan as per the latest instructions from the government.
On Sunday morning, the TTD organised ‘Dial Your EO’ programme at Annamayya Bhavan here after a gap of 79 days. The EO took a total of 14 calls from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
To a caller who requested hassle-free darshan without any noise or push at the sanctum sanctorum of the Tirumala temple, Singhal said it was possible now that only 500 devotees per hour, and 6,000 per day, were allowed inside the temple as per government regulations. However, the EO added, the same cannot be ensured when the situation returns to normalcy.
The TTD EO added that while 3,000 daily darshan tokens can be booked online, 3,000 more can be bought from TTD counters in Tirupati.
Tirumala temple to remain closed on June 21
Anil Kumar Singhal said that Tirumala temple will remain closed between 10:18 am and 1:38 pm on June 21 due to solar eclipse, adding that pilgrims will be allowed for darshan after 2:30 pm. The EO said that they have sold over 22 lakh laddus at subsidised price of Rs 25 each as against normal price of `50. He said that Srivari laddus were sold in TTD kalyana mandapams in AP, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.