TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has approved a major facelift programme for the Alipiri toll gate, with plans to construct an exclusive cargo lane to streamline freight movement to Tirumala.
The initiative, expected to commence shortly, is part of a comprehensive modernisation drive aimed at reducing congestion and strengthening security at one of the busiest entry points to the hill shrine.
Officials confirmed that the redesigned Alipiri check post will feature 11 lanes, with the first two dedicated exclusively to cargo vehicles. The remaining lanes will cater to general vehicular traffic, ensuring smoother passage for pilgrims. The modernisation is expected to significantly ease congestion at the Alipiri check post, which currently handles an average of 10,000 vehicles daily. On peak occasions, such as the recent Ratha Sapthami festival, the check post recorded a maximum of 14,830 vehicles in a single day.
Officials believe the dedicated 1-km cargo lane will minimise delays, reduce clumsiness in vehicle congregation, and ensure more efficient checking of goods and passengers.
Designs already cleared also provide scope for the addition of two more lanes in the future, reflecting the administration’s long-term vision for traffic management.
The existing cargo scanners located near the Bhudevi complex will now be shifted to Alipiri, integrating freight checks within the new system.
The proposed cargo lane will extend up to the Vinayaka temple, situated about 650 metres ahead of the current check post. “Once the cargo lane is completed, the entire modernisation of the check post will be taken up,” said Murali Krishna, Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (CVSO).
As part of the upgrade, advanced screening equipment is being procured. These include door-framed metal detectors (DFMDs), vehicle scanners, human scanners, and luggage scanners. Three DFMDs have already been installed on a trial basis, while three more DFMDs and two additional metal detectors are expected by the end of April.
Luggage scanners are scheduled to be procured by May. TTD has also floated tenders and invited expressions of interest on its official website for the supply of vehicle scanners and “green scanners” to check pilgrims seated inside vehicles.