Tirupati: Tight security in place for Garuda Seva today

Tirupati : Police machinery has geared up fully to provide tight security for Garuda Seva on Friday. TTD EO AV Dharma Reddy, Anantapur Range DIG RN Ammi Reddy, DGP office DIG Gopinath Jetti, Tirupati SP P Parameswar Reddy, CVSO Narasimha Kishore, JEO V Veerabrahmam and other officers held a meeting with the staff drafted for the Garuda Seva duties on Thursday.

Addressing the police personnel, EO Dharma Reddy underlined the need to provide security to the pilgrims as Lord Venkateswara loves them immensely. If the devotees return home happily, God will bless the staff as well.

DIG Ammi Reddy said, it is expected that 3 to 4 lakh devotees may come to watch the auspicious Garuda Seva. Security arrangements should be in such a way to monitor the entire Tirumala for the safety of the devotees, he added.

There will be a three-line security on this occasion. Entire Tirumla is equipped with CCTV cameras and will be under police control. Police personnel will monitor the situation through CCTV cameras and alert the field staff from time to time. Also, 10 police sub control rooms will be set up for the purpose. Geo tagging will be done for children and senior citizens.

There will be continuous monitoring of the two ghat roads as well. In Tirumala 32 parking areas were earmarked where 15000 vehicles can be parked. Passes will be issued only for 15000 vehicles and only those vehicles will be allowed to Tirumala.

DIG Gopinath Jetty said, as the experiment was made last year to provide ‘Garudotsava darsan’ for devotees, who could not enter the galleries, the same will be provided this year also. Those having completed darshan will be sent out of galleries and new devotees will be allowed in.

SP Parameswar Reddy directed the police sleuths to discharge their duties with discipline. Devotees should be allowed inside the galleries keeping in view the capacity of the galleries by monitoring the situation at the entry and exit points.

To prevent jostling to watch Garuda Vahanam when it reaches gallery, rope parties and special parties are deployed. Devotees will be allowed into galleries as per the time prescribed by the TTD.

CVSO Narasimha Kishore told the staff to discharge their duties with utmost patience even if devotees lose their cool.

Chittoor SP Rishanth Reddy, Annamayya SP Krishna Rao, Nellore SP Tirumaleswar Reddy, Bpatla SP Vakul Jindal, Additional SPs Venkat Rao, Kulasekhar, Vimala Kumari and other staff participated