TIRUMALA: Under the directives of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman BR Naidu announced that priority will be given to common devotees for Vaikunta Dwara Darshan.
Addressing the media at Annamaiah Bhavan on Wednesday, the Chairman said arrangements have been made for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan starting January 10. VIP darshan will commence at 4.30 am, while Sarva Darshan will begin at 8 am.
To facilitate devotees, SSD tokens will be issued at 90 counters across eight centres in Tirupati and four counters at one centre exclusively for Tirumala locals. Privilege darshans for senior citizens, disabled persons, parents with infants, and NRIs, as well as recommendation letters, will be suspended during the period to accommodate more common devotees.
Around 3,000 policemen and 1,550 TTD personnel will be deployed to ensure security and manage the anticipated large crowds. Arrangements have been made to distribute water and Annaprasadam to devotees from 6 am to midnight.
The Chairman stressed that only devotees with darshan tokens or tickets will be allowed in the queues due to limited accommodation in Tirumala. He urged pilgrims to visit on the allotted date and time mentioned on their tokens or tickets to avoid long waiting times. For health safety, devotees are requested to wear masks, and Govindamala devotees must adhere to time-slot tokens.
Additional Executive Officer reiterated that unplanned darshan poses risks to both devotees and administration. He urged devotees to obtain SSD tokens in Tirupati and plan their visits accordingly.
Board members Panabaka Lakshmi and Bhanuprakash Reddy, JEO Veerabrahmam, CVSO Sridhar, and other officials were present.