TIRUMALA:Pilgrims have expressed satisfaction on the Rs 300 Sheegra Darshan, offered through TTD’s official website in an opinion poll, said executive officer D Sambasiva Rao here Friday.
Speaking at the Dial Your EO programme conducted by TTD on the first Friday of every month at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala, the EO explained that TTD had conducted an online opinion poll before going to enhance the number of Sheegra Darshan tickets through online booking from 15,000 to 26,000 tickets from July. The number of tickets were increased based on the feedback.
“Along with this, we have increased the sale of Rs 50 tickets from 750 to 4,000. These tickets can be booked either through Internet or at post offices, so that devotees can get assured tickets for darshan every day and plan their travel accordingly.
Round-the-clock booking is assured now through Internet, instead of booking only up to 7 pm,” he told a caller and added that the darshan hours have also been increased from 9 am to 9 pm, instead of 11 am to 7 pm.
As many as 2,89,417 more pilgrims visited Tirumala this month compared to the same period last year which witnessed 20,99,721 having darshan. Occupancy also increased by 5 percent, he said.
The executive officer said pilgrims can book accommodation online not only in Tirumala but in Tirupati soon. People can also book kalyana mandapams online across the state, he said. Some rooms in Srinivasam, Madhavam and Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati will be allotted for online booking.
The replica temple of Lord Venkateswara, to be erected at Rajamundry, is going to be a special attraction during the Godavari Pushkarams, he said, adding that the works of the replica temple will be completed by July 10.“The muhurat for the opening of the temple has been fixed as 9.30 am on July 13,” he said.
TAMIL CHANNEL
The TTD is contemplating to launch a Tamil television channel soon as the number of pilgrims visiting Tirumala from Tamil Nadu is second to those from the two Telugu states together, the executive officer said.
MORE LADDUS
Within four days, we will be giving four laddu coupons to each devotee in Vaikuntham Queue Complex itself, apart from their subsidy laddu, the EO said while answering a caller from Chittoor
Rs 50 lakh Donated to TTD Trusts
Tirumala: Pattabhi Agro Foods chief B Ramachandra Rao of West Godavari donated Rs 50 lakh to various trusts of TTD on Friday. He handed over the check to TTD EO D Sambasiva Rao in his chambers at Tirumala.
Spiritual Theatre Given Trial Run
Tirumala: TTD EO D Sambasiva on Friday inspected the trial run of the spiritual theatre in compartment number 7 of Vaikuntham Queue Complex (VQC) II. The TTD has already inaugurated one Spiritual Amphi Theatre in compartment no 25 of VQC I with an aim to engage waiting devotees with the lore of Lord Venkateswara and to bring awareness on various aspects of Tirumala. After inspecting the trial-run of the theatre, the EO asked the expert team sent by donor Magunta Srinivasula Reddy to make some amendments.