TTD to set up 30 more counters for issuing laddus, says EO

Tirumala: In an effort to avoid pilgrims waiting to get laddus, TTD will soon set up 30 more counters for issuing laddus to the pilgrims at the

laddu counter complex in Tirumala, stated TTD Executive Officer A V Dharma Reddy. At the monthly 'Dial Your EO' programme held at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala on Friday, Dharma Reddy said now, 50 counters were functioning round-the-clock to issue laddu prasadam but pilgrims often complain about delay in getting laddus. Responding to the complaints, TTD decided to set up 30 more counters taking the total to 80 so as to avoid pilgrims waiting to get laddus, he said.

A total of 23 callers participated in the live phone-in programme, giving feedback to make improvements at Annaprasadam, Laddu Prasadam, accommodation, sanitation etc. Purushottam sought the EO to renovate the TTD Kalyana Mandapam in his town Kaikaluru for which the EO said the maintenance of the Kalyana Mandapams will be given to the locals through auction for better maintenance while Sujatha from Chennai appreciating the programmes on SVBC, wanted the EO that the visuals regarding the Arjita sevas in Tirumala temple be shown live.

The EO replied that Arjita sevas are being recorded in the model temple at Alipiri as cameras and videos are not allowed in Tirumala temple. But based on her suggestion, the sevas will be recorded again in the model temple for updating the visuals being telecast in SVBC. The EO assured the pilgrim callers Lakshmi from Tiruvallur, Jayachandra from Bengaluru that necessary action will be taken on their complaints.

Lakshmi told EO that in her visit to Tirumala, she found the toilets were stinking, doors damaged and wanted proper maintenance of toilets. Jayachandra complained on the harsh behaviour of the employee at Tiruchanoor temple to which the EO said the issue will be verified with CCTV footage for taking action on the employees.

He also apologised to the pilgrim caller for the indifferent behaviour of his employees and wanted the employees to be more attentive towards the devotees.

Responding to Gangadhar, Bengaluru, EO urged the devotees not to believe in the false propaganda on the closure of darshan in Tirumala temple and also appealed to devotees not to believe the reports on hiking room rentals in Tirumala. Subramanyam from Kadapa, Vani from Anantapur raised doubts on the

increase of rentals of Rs 50 and Rs 100 rooms in Tirumala to which the EO categorically said TTD is not increasing these rooms tariff. "TTD is providing accommodation to 45,000 pilgrims daily in which almost 85 per cent comes under the common pilgrims category," he said. Callers Vijayalakshmi, Nalini from Tiruttani, Narasimha Sastry from Vijayawada were all praised for the Parayanam programmes especially the newly commenced Garuda Puranam in SVBC. When Uma Maheswara Rao from Gudiwada asked the EO to give more priority to common pilgrims in darshan, the EO replied in detail that every day TTD is providing darshan to almost 80,000 pilgrims in which common devotees constitute 95 per cent.