TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Tuesday allowed devotees to have darshan without Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) tokens, following a stampede-like situation at the ticket counters due to an unprecedented surge in the number of devotees at Tirupati. The TTD has also cancelled VIP break darshan till Sunday to clear the pilgrim rush.
As the ticket centres at Govindaraja Swamy Choultry, Srinivasam Complex and Bhudevi Complex in Alipiri resumed issuing tokens after remaining closed for two consecutive days, devotees thronged the counters as soon as they opened in the morning. Chaos prevailed in the temple town as some women and children, who had been waiting in serpentine queues for hours together, fell unconscious. Some were even shifted to a hospital after they fell while jostling in the crowd. Fortunately, none sustained any serious injuries. Tirupati and Chittoor SPs, P Parameswar Reddy and Y Rishanth Reddy, respectively, monitored the situation to avert any untoward incident at the three SSD token centres.
Before the situation went out of hand, the TTD officials reportedly spoke with senior members of the Trust Board, including TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, and decided to allow all devotees to Tirumala without SSD tokens.APSRTC buses were arranged from the Bhudevi Complex at Alipiri itself to ensure that the devotees disperse from the place quickly. After a hiatus of two years, the TTD reopened the compartment queue complexes for the devotees.
TTD officials said they had been releasing 20,000 SSD tokens through three counters in Tirupati. Till the time 10,000 tickets were issued, the situation was calm. However, the crowd swelled by the time 14,500 tickets were issued. Officials said around 15,000 people gathered for 5,000 tokens. Temple Deputy EO Ramesh Babu said the devotees would be allowed into the compartment queue complexes and provided darshan starting Wednesday night. All necessary arrangements would be made for those waiting in the compartments.
“We are going to do away with the VIP break darshan. This way we can allow 3,000 people to have darshan in an hour and clear the rush as much as possible,” additional EO AV Dharma Reddy said.
The sudden influx of pilgrims and their eagerness to get the tokens led to the situation, he explained.
Queue complexes reopened
RTC buses were arranged from the Bhudevi Complex at Alipiri itself to ensure devotees disperse quickly. After a two-year hiatus, the compartment queue complexes were reopened