Arrangements in place to meet summer pilgrim rush, says TTD EO

TTD ensures pilgrims' needs are met during summer vacations with free food, medical facilities, and crowd management strategies.

Arrangements are in place to meet the requirements of the pilgrims during the ensuing summer vacations, said TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy on Friday, April 5.

He said that the TTD management has planned to arrange for an uninterrupted supply of free food, snacks, and buttermilk to the devotees waiting in the darshan lines and a round-the-clock medical facility. 

To provide a respite to the devotees from the scorching sun, heat-reflective paints and drinking water points have been provided along the ‘mada’ streets encircling the shrine. He urged the pilgrims to diligently use water during their stay atop the town. 

Around 2,500 Srivari seva volunteers will be roped in to provide assistance to the pilgrims, as the crowds are expected to last for over three months. The government and TTD forest officials have also devised a road map to avert fire in the Seshachalam forest ranges, he said.

TTD almanac copies, which are highly demanded by the pilgrims’ fraternity, have been made available at Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Bengaluru, Tirupati, and Tirumala for the benefit of the devout.

For the 25th consecutive month, the income netted from the temple hundi, he said, crossed ₹100 crore mark during March, while the sale of laddus soared to one crore pieces.

Earlier, anchoring a pilgrim interactive program, he also said that he would explore the possibilities of providing VIP darshan tickets under the lucky dip system.