TIRUMALA: With the spike in Covid-19 cases across the country, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to reduce the issuance of free Darshan (Sarva Darshan) tokens. The TTD is also reviewing its earlier decision to revive Arjitha Sevas from April 14 in view of the surge in Covid cases. It also issued a set of new Covid guidelines for pilgrims.
“We have decided to reduce the issuance of Sarva Darshan tokens to 15,000 per day from the present 22,000 and this will be implemented from April 1,” TTD Additional Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy told mediapersons on Tuesday.
For April, 25,000 darshan slots of Rs 300 ticket have already been booked. After reviewing the situation, the slots will either be cancelled or postponed, he said. “We reviewed the situation and decided to allow only 45,000 devotees per day to have Darshan from April 1,” he said.Of the 69 new infections reported in Tirupati on Tuesday, 10 TTD employees tested positive.
Further, he said devotees should wear face mask compulsorily at Vaikuntam Queue Complex, Srivari temple, Anna Prasadam Bhavan, Kalyana Katta and other places. In the temple, the TTD had decided to resume the practices it followed earlier, including maintenance of physical distance, promoting Covid awareness and other precautionary measures, to keep coronavirus at bay.
The TDP also decided to provide accommodation to only two persons in a room. It has started sanitising all vehicles at Alipiri. On Monday, a total of 9,083 devotees (both Rs 300 Sheeghra Darshan, Sarva Darshan and virtual ticket holders did not turn up for Darshan in view of spike in Covid cases.TTD no way connected to seizure of hair: Addl EO
Responding to reports that 120 bags of tonsured human hair seized on the border of Mizoram-Myanmar by Assam Rifles belong to Tirumala temple, TTD Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy said the TTD has nothing to do with the tonsured hair once it has sold it to a bidder. The TTD has set in place a perfect system for storage, processing, handling and transport of tonsured hair and there is no scope for any malpractice in the process,’’ he said, adding that the TTD responsibility ends with handing over the tonsured hair to the successful bidder who quoted higher price. Dharma Reddy said they are in touch with Assam Rifles and Mizoram police, who are still probing the smuggling of hair, to know the details. “Tonsuring is held at scores of temples across India and the seized hair bags might have come from anywhere,’’ he said.
Preventive measures
Thermal scanners installed at Anna Prasadam centres and room allocation counters
Devotees should wear face mask and carry sanitiser
Devotees to be allowed at Alipiri check point after 1 pm for their next day darshan
Pedestrian pilgrims to be allowed at Alipiri and Srivarimettu after 9 am for their next day darshan
Devotees to be allowed to enter Vaikuntham complex only half an hour before their allotted darshan slot
Devotees need to maintain social distance at all places at shrine