Darshan, train ticket mismatch derails pilgrims’ plans to Tirumala
The Hindu
TTD and Indian Railways coordination issues impact pilgrims traveling to Tirumala for Lord Venkateswara’s darshan.
Travel to Tirumala for Lord Venkateswara’s darshan was once a hassle-free experience, thanks to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) reservation system. However, a reported lack of coordination between the TTD and the Indian Railways is now causing difficulties for pilgrims in planning their journey.
The TTD releases its quota of darshan tickets in the third week of every month for the following month, with tens of thousands of tickets selling out within minutes due to high global demand. Since Tirupati is well-connected by rail, nearly 60% of those booking darshan tickets also opt to book train travel at the same time through the railway website.
However, the Indian Railways recently reduced its advance reservation period from 120 days to 60 days. This change has led to a mismatch between the TTD’s ticket release schedule and railway booking availability, making it harder for pilgrims to secure train reservations in sync with their darshan dates.
Many devotees believe the issue could be resolved if the TTD shifted its quota release date from the third week to the last day of each month. This would allow the TTD’s darshan ticket bookings to align with the Indian Railways’ 60-day reservation window, making it easier for pilgrims to plan their travel and pilgrimage together.
In the meantime, railway authorities are stepping in by arranging special trains to and from Tirupati and adding extra coaches to long-distance trains to accommodate the surge in pilgrims.
“By monitoring the waitlist, we deploy special trains to Tirupati from various locations using available extra rakes. These arrangements are made in coordination with senior officials,” said Tirupati Railway Station director Kuppala Satyanarayana.
While the Railways officials are doing their part to ease the travel crunch, the onus is now on the TTD to consider moving its quota release to the end of the month — an adjustment that could significantly benefit pilgrims relying on train travel.
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