Pilgrims now can get room allotment while booking online

Tirupati: Revamping the present online advance reservation system for allotment of accommodation to pilgrims in Tirupati, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) decided to allot rooms to the pilgrims at the time of booking itself. In other words, the pilgrims get accommodation with confirmed room allotment, in advance at the time of booking accommodation under online system.

According to TTD sources, under the existing online advance reservation system, the rooms will be allotted to pilgrims after they reported at the reception counter of the pilgrim complex where they booked accommodation. The proposed new online advance reservation system which will be introduced from April 1 also has one more facility availing accommodation up to three days against only one day now.

Allotment of rooms at the time of online booking of accommodation in advance and also the facility of accommodation for three days would surely save much time to the pilgrims as well as the TTD reception staff who are now devoting more of their work for extending the accommodation (rooms) as most of the pilgrim require accommodation for more than a day for completion of pilgrimage including Darshan at Tirumala temple.

There are 1126 rooms in the three pilgrim complexes: Vishnu Nivasam (408), Srinivasam (556) and Madhavam located in Srinivasam complex 162, on different tariffs, in which 50 per cent of the rooms i.e. 550 will be available for pilgrims for booking online   under advance reservation system.

However, the new system has  one aspect disadvantageous to the pilgrims with the check in  time fixed at 8 in the morning to next day morning 8. For the pilgrims coming from far off places by train this will prove more expensive as even if they check in late in the night, they have to pay for the whole day. In other words, it will help the TTD to get more revenue than the present slot system. 

Under the present system the day is divided into four slots from morning 8 to next day morning 8 and for instance  if the pilgrim checked in slot three , he can stay till next day slot three. (18 to 24 hours), said social activists Mangati Gopal Reddy. It helps more the TTD to get additional revenue.