TIRUMALA: Tirumala witnessed a massive summer rush over the weekend, with more than 92,000 devotees having darshan on Saturday alone.
Temple officials said the surge was managed with great difficulty, and darshan continued until 1.30 a.m. on Sunday before resuming with Suprabhatham at 2.30 a.m. By 8 p.m. Sunday, another 56,000 devotees had completed darshan.
Officials noted that the influx was particularly heavy due to school and college holidays, with an estimated 1.5 lakh pilgrims staying in Tirumala on Saturday.
Superintendent Ramakrishna of the Vaikuntam Queue Complex said the administration worked tirelessly to ensure smooth passage despite the record crowds. Heavy rain in Tirupati and Tirumala briefly interrupted the flow of pilgrims, but footfall and vehicular traffic normalised by Sunday morning.
In anticipation of the holiday rush, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has put in place extensive arrangements worth Rs 2 crore. Shaded shelters have been erected from Batagangamma Circle to Gogarbham Dam Circle and at high-footfall areas such as Vaikuntam Queue Complex-2, the Museum premises, and Narayanagiri Gardens. Cooling paint has been applied along queue lines and the four Mada Streets to reduce ground heat, while temporary toilets have been set up along major waiting zones.
The Health Department has deployed mobile water drums and Srivari Sevaks to ensure a continuous supply of drinking water. Sixteen medical centres, along with a mobile first-aid unit, are operating to provide immediate care. To meet demand, TTD has increased laddu supply, maintaining a buffer stock of 3.5 lakh laddus in addition to the daily 3.5 lakh. Accommodation remains tight, but pilgrims are being directed to nearly 9,000 lockers across PAC complexes and Padmanabha Nilayam. Rooms are allotted only to families.
TTD has also strengthened tonsure facilities, with 1,152 barbers, including 269 women, serving devotees.