Tirupati: TTD making elaborate arrangements for summer vacation pilgrims rush

Tirupati: Anticipating heavy rush this summer due to vacation for schools and colleges, the TTD is making elaborate arrangements to cope with the pilgrim rush at Tirumala, said TTD Additional Executive Officer A V Dharma Reddy.

Addressing media persons at the Annamaiah Bhavan at Tirumala on Tuesday, the Additional EO said that white cool painting would be done once in a week to provide relief to devotees from scorching heat at all roads, pedestrians and pathways where pilgrim congregation is more including using Srivari Seva Sadan, Mada streets and first ghat road walkers path, etc.

He said special sheds will be put up in front of Srivari temple, Vaikuntam queue complex, etc while the adequate stock of laddu Prasadam will be kept handy for summer demands to ensure no scarcity of the most sought after Prasadam of Lord.

The average pilgrim rush to Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara which is now around 80,000 will cross one lakh daily from the second week of April with the vacation beginning immediately after examinations. Plastic bottle ban: Appealing devotees to bring steel, copper or Tupperware bottles to Tirumala to avoid bottled water in view of the ban on use of plastic bottles which is in force in the Hill Town, he said, the TTD on its part has put up nearly 150 RO plants all over Tirumala for the benefit of devotees who can avail safe drinking water round the clock basis on the hills.