TTD to revamp VIP break darshan system

Tirupati: Is TTD going to end issuing of L1, L2 and L3 break darshan tickets for darshan in the famed Tirumala temple? The answer is an affirmative according to TTD chairman Y V Subba Reddy who said on Saturday that TTD would take a final call on cancelling of the issuing of segregated VIP break darshan tickets after the formation of the full-pledged trust board which is expected in a week or ten days.

Reddy, who from day one of his taking charge as chairman of the TTD, administering Tirumala temple maintaining that he is keen on overhauling the VIP darshan system in the temple and is against the issuing of break darshan category wise as L1, L2 and L3. Further, the TTD is now in a fix after the AP High Court admitted the PIL (public interest litigation) filed by a devotee J Venkata Subbarao against the practice of issuing of VIP break darshan tickets alleging discrimination on the basis of an individual holding a position in society, in April last and came up for hearing this month.

The High Court admitting the petition sought the government to file a report giving all details, including the L1, L2, L3 issued by TTD and on what basis which naturally left the TTD in a piquant position as the burden of justifying the discriminatory quota squarely now fell on the TTD management, including the chairman and the officials.

L1 is being issued to protocol VIPs, high-profile politicians and celebrities while the L2 is mostly to TTD employees, journalists, officials in the lower rung etc and L3 against the recommendation letter from Ministers, sitting MPs, legislators and high officials.

TTD chairman said that existing darshan system, including VIP break would be thoroughly examined before coming out with an alternate arrangement taking care of the interests of all sections, including VIPs as well as common pilgrims.

He was candid enough to say that he was against frequent visit of VVIPs and wanted them to limit their visit to Tirumala once in a year so as not to cause inconvenience to the common pilgrims who are forced waiting for long to a glimpse of the Lord. He openly appealed the VVIPS to limit their visit to Tirumala.

Against this backdrop, it seems the TTD is in a hurry to end the system of L1, L2 and L3 break darshan issuing which in the recent month became controversial with the allegations of these tickets being misused by the affluent to have easy darshan skipping the queue and avoiding waiting for hours and cornered by unscrupulous elements to make quick money.

However many social activists like Mangati Gopal Reddy, P Naveen Kumar Reddy, who have been championing the cause of common pilgrims, are sceptic on TTD taking a firm decision on ending the VIP culture.

"At the maximum, the TTD may introduce uniform VIP break darshan system and limit the issuing of tickets daily to the minimum, but it cannot put an end to the discriminatory quota of tickets and privileged darshan system.