TTD revokes darshan ban move; limited numbers will be allowed

Tirumala: The TTD has decided to enable darshan to pilgrims in limited numbers from August 11 to 16 during Ashtabandhana Balalaya Maha Samprokshanam within the available time space during the period.

TTD trust board chairman P Sudhakar Yadav, along with executive officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal on Tuesday briefed the media at Annamaiah Bhavan on the decisions taken in the meeting of the board earlier in the day. 

It may be recalled that TTD’s decision earlier to ban the darshan for six days during the performance of rituals of Samprokshanam to the Lord kicked up a row with protests from several quarters, including political parties.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu last week intervened in the row and urged the TTD to consider its decision. The  Ashtabandhana Balalaya Maha Samprokshanam is performed for every 12 years, which was performed for the last time in 2006. 

Elaborating further on the darshan during Samprokshanam, chairman Sudhakar Yadav said the devotees would be allowed for darshan through Vaikuntham Queue Complex (VQC). “In the next two or three days, we will discuss in detail the possibility of allowing maximum number of pilgrims in the VQC compartments for darshan.

Since we have very limited time for darshan, we will work out on this and come out with figures for maximum number of pilgrims which we can provide darshan to during these six days. We will allow only that number of pilgrims in to the compartments based on the possibility of day-wise darshan figures which we can provide,” he said. 

Later, the EO said that according to feedback they had received from pilgrims, 33 per cent favoured provision of darshan to those who reach Tirumala, while 22 per cent supported TTD’s previous decision of cancellation of darshan during that period owing to time constraints while 8 per cent of them suggested that only online tickets should be issued with certain quota, etc.

“We have already stopped Rs 300 darshan quota and now we have taken a decision to cancel all the darshans, including Divya Darshan, Sarva Darshan tokens, VIP break, privilege darshans for that period. Darshan will be provided within the limited time space to those who reach Tirumala through Vaikuntham Queue Complex as rituals are more important than darshan during Maha Samprokshanam," he asserted.

TTD board has given approval to pay the retirement benefits for Tirumala temple archakas at Rs 20 lakh and for Pradhana Archaka at Rs 30 lakh, the EO informed. Further, Rs 11 crore was sanctioned by board for the development of first phase of park at Avilala tank in Tirupati rural. Singhal said the TTD had also decided to conduct Mana Gudi programme from August 23 to 26 in both Telugu states.