TTD will issue SSD tokens after summer rush subsides: EO

Tirumala: TTD Executive Officer A V Dharma Reddy on Friday said that TTD will resume issuing SSD (Time Slotted Sarva Darshan) tokens only after summer rush in Tirumala recedes.

Responding to the pilgrim callers through 'Dial Your EO' live phone-in programme here, the EO answering callers Pratap from Chittoor, Aravind from Gorantla, Raju from Srikakulam, said TTD will have to make the required arrangements to restart the issuing of tokens. The issuing of SSD tokens was stopped on April 12 this year following

heavy influx of pilgrims at the token issuing counters in Tirupati. A pilgrim brought to the notice, the problem of pilgrims facing at Annaprasadam Complex where, he said the staff hurrying in serving food, making it difficult for the pilgrims taking the food, EO said he would examine the issue and solve it. Many pilgrims sought revival of Yoga Centre which was closed in Tirupati and the printing of Astadasa Puranas while a pilgrim urged

TTD to launch SVBC channel in Sanskrit, the mother of Indian languages which would go a long way in reviving the ancient language boosting our rich heritage, culture and tradition. The EO said necessary measures will be initiated after thoroughly discussing with the concerned, duly taking into consideration the feasibility.

DEVOTEES LAUD SVBC PROGRAMME

Callers poured in heaps of appreciation on TTD EO Dharma Reddy for designing various Parayanams that were telecasted on SVBC live which won the hearts of devotees across the globe. Nageswara Rao from Guntur, Rama Sastry, Lakshmi from Hyderabad, Lakshmi Narayana from Nellore, Annapurna from Gudivada, Nageswara Rao from Tirupati appreciated all the programmes in SVBC and thanked EO Reddy for telecasting such devotional programmes providing the much needed spiritual solace to scores of people. They also congratulated him on his recent extension of service in TTD and said that it would help temple management to provide better services to pilgrims and also boost up SVBC coming out with more devotional programmes.

Thanking the devotee callers for their wishes, TTD EO Dharma Reddy affirmed that the Parayanams will continue and informed that Garuda Puranam parayanam will be taken up soon with versatile scholars. Stating that during his tenure he could be able to nab 214 dalaris (middlemen) and binding-over another 217 barring them from entering Tirumala and 142 FIRs registered against those indulging in black-marketing of darshan tickets, he claimed that the introduction of SRIVANI Trust donation linked break darshan has completely weeded out black marketing of tickets in Tirumala. SRIVANI Trust which has earned Rs 230 crore within a year also helping TTD in taking up rejuvenation of ancient temples in the state.