Covid protocols must during Brahmotsavams: TTD chief

Tirumala: TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy urged devotees participating in the annual Brahmotsavams to follow the Covid protocols. Addressing the media after meeting with the TTD, district and police officials, he said on the first day of the annual festival, the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will present `pattu vastrams' to Sri Venkateswara Swamy on behalf of the state government.

He directed officials to focus on accommodation, Annaprasadam, traffic management and parking especially, as huge influx of devotees is expected. He said this year pilgrims are allowed to participate in the mega religious festival which attracts more devotees. He also informed that all the privileged sevas are cancelled during the festive days to give priority to the common devotees. He said only Sarva Darshanam will remain operational during these nine days. Elaborate arrangements are being made for the Garuda Seva as it fell on the second Saturday of Purattasi month which is very special for the devotees from Tamil Nadu, he explained.

Nearly four to five lakh pilgrims are expected to visit for Garuda Seva and around 20 thousand vehicles of pilgrims will hit the Tirumala this year, which is much more than the available parking capacity. After the parking is full at Tirumala, vehicles will be parked in Tirupati down the hills and devotees will be transported to Tirumala through RTC buses, he said.

As a precautionary measure, on the eve of Garuda Seva and the following day, the 2 wheelers are banned on the Ghat roads. APSRTC has been requested to run an adequate number of buses to ferry devotees, he said adding that to cope with the rush German sheds will also be erected at selected places in Tirumala with temporary washroom facilities.