Pilgrim safety at Tirumala: Devotees trekking footpaths to be given wooden sticks
TTD chairman B Karunakar Reddy along with EO A V Dharma Reddy holds a meeting with top officials of TTD, forest and police onpilgrim safety on footpaths in Tirupati on Monday
Tirumala: The safety and security of Devotees is the top most priority ofTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), said TTD chairman B KarunakaraReddy.
After holding a high-level meeting with TTD, district and forestofficials at Sri Padmavathi Rest House in Tirupati on Monday evening,the TTD chairman along with TTD executive officer AV Dharma Reddy briefed the media on various important decisions taken by TTD and alsoseries of measures being initiated by the TTD for pilgrimsafety onthe footpath meandering through dense forest..
The parents with children aged below 12 years will be allowed to trekthe footpath routes only between 5am and 2pm. The other devoteeswill be allowed till 10pm, they said, adding that as a safety measure,each devotee trekking the footpath will be provided with a woodenstick as a self-defence measure. Devotees will be allowed only ingroups with a security guard while the two-wheelers on the ghat roadwill be allowed to ply on ghat roads only between 6am and 6pm.
The other initiatives TTD is taking upinclude banningthe practice of offering food items by the pilgrims trekking the hillsto animals and also action against those who are selling such fooditems. The hoteliers along the footpath routes are strictly instructednot to throw away or dump food wastes.
This apart, 500 CC cameras are being installed in both the footpathroutes and if necessarydrone cameras will also be procured and 24/7wildlife outposts with animal trackers and doctors will be madeavailable round-the-clock on the footpaths. For the safety ofdevotees, the forest staff who have expertise in tackling wild animalattacks will be appointed.
Focus lights to be installed in such a way that the light is visiblefor 30metre in the surrounding areas.
Signs about wild beast attacks and cautions to be placed atSeventh Mile, Galigopuram, Alipiri, etc.,
Answering a question on fencing the footpath, TTD chairman and EOsaid the final call is to be taken by forest authorities as per Wild Life Act and observed that they would act after receiving a report from them.
They informed that henceforth there is no need for the Alipiritrekkers to scan their Divya Darshan tokens and they can reachTirumala by road also.