TIRUPATI: After remaining closed for 40 days, the second ghat road from Alipiri to Tirumala opened for traffic on Tuesday afternoon. The ghat road was shut down on December 1 following landslides triggered by heavy rains that damaged a major portion of the road.
The TTD then used the link road to regularise the traffic proceeding to Tirumala through the first ghat road. With the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi likely to draw huge footfall, the TTD sped up its restoration.
After a trial run on Monday, the second ghat road was reopened for public usage by TTD additional EO AV Dharma Reddy around 2.30 pm. “The ghat road was closed December 1 onwards after a heavy boulder critically impaled it. But with day and night efforts by our engineering officials with the support of AFCON, we completed the restoration of the up-ghat road on time and opened it after forty days for the conveyance of devotees,’’ he said.
Heavy vehicles, however, will not be allowed to ply on the restored portion and rerouted through the link road. After the 17-km road suffered damages at nine places, experts from various prestigious institutions were roped in to suggest remedial measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Based on the suggestions of the experts, the damaged portion was restored at Rs 3 crore, officials said adding shotcrete technology was adopted to complete the works. Meanwhile, in connection with the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi on January 13, the traditional temple cleaning fete, Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam, was performed in Tirumala temple with religious fervour on Tuesday.
Speaking after the ritual, Dharma Reddy said the agamic fete is performed four times a year: before Telugu Ugadi, Anivara Asthanam, annual Brahmotsavams and Vaikunta Ekadasi. A special aromatic mixture called Parimalam will be smeared on the roofs, walls of Garbhalaya and other Upalayas located in Tirumala temple which acts as a disinfectant also. After the fete, the devotees will be allowed for darshan. Dharma Reddy urged the devotees to follow all Covid norms and co-operate with the TTD management.