Ganesh fete to be low key in Tirupati

Tirupati: While the number of Covid cases reportedly increased since the beginning of this month due to unregulated gathering of shoppers along the bustling Gandhi road and other busy areas in the city on the occasion of Varalakshmi Vratam festival shopping are yet to fully recover, the citizens of temple city seems to be bracing up for yet another bizzare.

The government's appeal to maintain physical distancing seems to be falling on deaf ears with citizens giving the most important norm a miss in the city, where enthusiastic shopping for forthcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival is likely to augment number of COVID-19 patients.

The unregulated gathering of customers along the busy Gandhi Road, RC road and other popular areas which are decked up with attractive festive goods and gift items, is floating all norms of COVID-19 protocol as civic authorities have failed in implementation of social distancing and unwanted crowds at public places.

Needless to say, after Varalakshmi vratham on July 31, the number of Covid cases go on rampage to register more than 900 cases on many days.

Tirupati Varasiddi Vinayaka Mahotsava Committee convenor Samanchi Srinivas said only two feet idols can be set up at temples and people have to put small clay idols at their homes for worshipping. He said the committee requested officials to make available sufficient quantity of clay idols in all 50 divisions.