TIRUMALA : Anticipating heavy inflow of pilgrims during the ensuing Summer vacations, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has made elaborate arrangements to help devotees have hassle-free darshan and decided to cancel VIP Break Darshan, thereby ensuring more darshan time to the common devotees, said TTD EO AV Dharma Reddy.
As many as 29 callers from across the country interacted with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy during the monthly ‘Dial Your EO’ programme held at the TTD Administrative Building in Tirupati on Friday. Besides giving their valuable feedback, the callers gave few suggestions to which the TTD EO responded positively.
During the ‘Dial Your EO’ programme, a caller, Pavan Kumar from Hyderabad, suggested extending the last bus service from Tirumala to Tirupati benefitting the pilgrims stranded on Hill town due to time restrictions. Responding to it, Dharma Reddy said the Tirumala Ghat Roads falls under the forest reserve and they have to follow the time restrictions between 12 am till 3am as per the forest norms as wild animals crisscross the paths during that period. However, the EO said, during heavy rush and on special days, the ghat road is kept open round-the-clock to avoid pilgrim congestion in Tirumala.
Plans on anvil to enhance mobile signal capacity
When callers Ramesh from Jagityal and Kiran Kumar from Tirupati brought to the notice of the EO about non-receiving of offline lucky dip messages, the EO said that the app is working perfectly but due to poor range of mobile signals a few pilgrims might be facing this problem.
He also said that he has recently held a review meeting with mobile companies to enhance their signal capacity to avoid this issue.
Dinesh from Hyderabad sought the TTD EO to resume distribution of Annaprasadam in compartments which was a daily routine before Covid-19 pandemic, the EO said that the TTD has resumed all the services long back post-Covid and even a donor has also set up 120 RO plants in Tirumala for providing drinking water facility to the devotees at all places.
TTD constructed 1,700 temples in three years
Meanwhile, another caller Srikant from Manchiryala sought Dharma Reddy about the status of the temple in his place, the EO answered that in the last three years they have constructed over 3,600 temples out of which 1,700 are already completed and others in different stages of progress.
“We have been receiving thousands of requests every day and the construction process will be taken only after thorough verification which takes some time”, the TTD EO answered.
One pilgrim, Nagaraju from Hyderabad, brought to the notice of the EO about the quick darshan and delay in issuing laddus at the Laddu Prasadam Complex due to change of shifts, the EO said that at present nearly 60 counters are operating and we will enhance that by another 15 during the ensuing summer vacation. He also added that waiting time at the queue lines in the laddu complex will be sorted out soon.
When a caller Venakteswarulu from Tirupati suggested to the EO to think of introducing VIP Break darshan also under Lucky Dip, the EO said he will discuss the possibilities. “Keeping in view of the summer rush, we have dispensed with the VIP Break system at present and increased the SSD (Free Darshan) tokens to 30,000 in Tirupati. Our priority is to provide more darshan hours to common pilgrims during the ensuing summer vacation”, he asserted.
‘Dial Your EO’ programme
For the convenience of common devotees, TTD has cancelled the VIP Break Darshan on recommendation letters giving more darshan hours to common devotees
Non-stop distribution of Anna Prasadam, buttermilk and medical facilities to the devotees waiting in the queue lines and compartments
Cool paintings and drinking water points all along the Mada streets and Narayanagiri Gardens
As many as 2,500 Srivari Sevakulu, apart from Scouts and Guides, deployed to provide assistance to devotees during the summer rush
Effective strategy and preparations made by TTD forest department and government fire department to avert flash fire accidents in Seshachalam forest regions during summer