Amid Unprecedented Rush, Tirumala Temple Cancels VIP Darshan to Prioritise Common Pilgrims
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has cancelled Monday's VIP Break Darshan and withdrawn the same-day online Srivani Darshan quota, prioritising the safety and convenience of common devotees during an extraordinary surge in pilgrim numbers.
The hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara is witnessing one of its heaviest crowds in recent years. On Saturday alone, over 1.5 lakh devotees were waiting for darshan, prompting the TTD to deploy its full administrative machinery for crowd management.
TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary inspected queue lines near the Pachikaluva Gangamma Temple Circle and stated that the temple administration is coordinating with all allied departments to handle the rush. Normally, the TTD facilitates darshan for 85,000 to 87,000 devotees daily, but the current surge has necessitated emergency measures.
All officers and employees have been directed not to take leave until normalcy returns. Additional police personnel have been deployed to strengthen security and improve crowd management.
To maximise darshan opportunities for ordinary pilgrims, the TTD has cancelled the Monday VIP Break Darshan and withdrawn the quota of 800 same-day online Srivani Darshan tickets. The quota under the SSD category and certain other privileged darshan categories has also been reduced, freeing up more time for Sarva Darshan (general queue) devotees.
Despite accommodation complexes and queue lines being full, the TTD has ensured uninterrupted supply of drinking water, Annaprasadam (free meals), sanitation services, and other essential amenities.
Mr. Chowdary urged pilgrims not to spend unnecessary time near the Sanctum Sanctorum so that those waiting behind them could have a smoother darshan. He reiterated that ensuring a safe, comfortable, and hassle-free experience for common devotees remains the TTD's foremost priority.
