Masks mandatory for devout: TTD chief

PNS|TIRUMALA

To enable Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan to more devotees, TTD has been organising a ten-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan starting from January 2-11 and this practice has been in vogue for the past three years, said TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy.

Speaking to media persons along with TTD EO(FAC) Anil Kumar Singhal and other top officials from TTD and district administration, the Chairman said, “In view of the recent guidelines by Central and State Governments, we appeal the devotees who are coming to Tirumala for Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan to wear masks which is mandatory. We make other arrangements like frequently sanitising crowded places etc. as a part of the Health Safety and Security of visiting pilgrims. TTD has planned to issue a total of 45,000 Slotted Sarva Darshan tickets per day from January 2 to 11. The issuance of free SSD tokens will commence by 2 pm on January 1 at nine centres consisting of 92 counters in Tirupati viz.

Bhudevi Complex, Indira Maidan, Ramachandra Pushkarini, Jeevakona ZP high school, Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, Ramanaidu Municipal High School, Seshadrinagar ZP High School in Bairagipettada and Govindarajaswami choultries 2 and 3. While four counters are earmarked in Tirumala at Koustubham Rest House exclusively for Tirumala locals.

All arrangements of food, water, and beverages have been arranged at these counters and mobile toilets have also been erected. To facilitate the devotees coming from various neighbouring states to know about the counters, QR code facility boards have also been displayed at all these counters and also at Cherlopalle, Pudi road, and Navjeevan Hospital areas.The devotees with SSD tokens shall have to report at Sri Krishna Teja Rest House in Tirumala on their specified date and time only, to avoid long waiting hours for darshan, the Chairman said.Srivani Trust tickets will not be issued offline. “As we have already released 2,000 tickets of Srivani online for each day from January 2 to 11, no tickets will be issued offline”, he reiterated. “Similarly we have also issued 2.05lakh SED (Rs.300) tickets from January 1 to 11 online”, he maintained.