TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is reviewing demonstrations to implement Artificial Intelligence-based facial recognition technology on a pilot basis to expedite darshan at the Srivari temple, TTD Board Chairman BR Naidu announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after the TTD Board meeting at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala, BR Naidu said a Bengaluru-based company had provided a demonstration on Monday. However, the Board will review more demonstrations. The system will be initiated in the next three months, he added.
Additionally, during the meeting, the Board approved setting up of a committee with experts for global expansion of TTD temples and properties as per the directives of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Following the recommendations of the committee, Sri Venkateswara Swamy temples will be constructed in major cities across the country.
Further, the Board decided to request to the State government to recommend ‘national’ status for SVIMS (Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences) to the Union government to provide better medical services to the poor. The Board also gave green light to set up a mechanism to collect feedback from devotees on the services rendered.
The TTD Board gave its nod for provision of civil assistant surgeons, nurses, para-medical staff and state-of-the-art medical equipment to provide adequate medical facilities to pilgrims who trek to the Srivari temple. The temple trust also approved the establishment of a Food Safety Department in TTD to inspect food items, keeping in view the health and hygiene of the multitude of devotees coming for Srivari darshan. It also gave approval to fill the post of Senior Food Safety Officer by SLSMPC (Sri Lakshmi Srinivasa Manpower Corporation).
Additionally, approval was given for the implementation of a new system for issuing canteen management licenses to leading companies in the country to provide more quality food products to the visiting pilgrims at affordable prices.
It also gave nod to hire 258 catering staff in various departments on contract basis through SLSMPC to provide better quality Annaprasadam to devotees.
Other key decisions
Approval to provide financial assistance of `2 crore from SV Vidyadana Trust to the traditional school run in Tirupati under the auspices of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
Board decides to appeal to the Maharashtra government to reduce lease price of `20 crore for the 3.60 acres allocated for construction of Sri Padmavati Ammavari temple in Navi Mumbai
Approval for construction of 6 toilet blocks with `3.36 crore from Alwar Tank Rest Houses to Gangamma Circle
Decision to set up a Golden Gopura Kalasam in Vontimitta Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple with Rs 43 lakh