Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to overhaul administration

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has embarked on streamlining its administration for efficient temple management, queue system, facilities and security with an aim of enhancing pilgrim services and ensure hassle free darshan, said TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal.

Highlights:

• TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal participates in the ‘Meet the Press’ programme
• Says Scanner centre near Mahadwaram will be shifted to queue complex in two months for convenience of pilgrims
• TTD to install more CCTVs in Tirumala for tight security
• Tokn system from Wednesday to get on the spot room allotment for pilgrims

Participating in the ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by Press Club here on Monday Singhal delineated his plan of overhauling the existing machinery to provide better services to pilgrims. Saying that the priority was to mitigate problems of the pilgrims while waiting for darshan, he said the scanner centre near Mahadwaram will be shifted to queue complex in two months, as it was found very inconvenient to the pilgrims.

The shifting will avoid pilgrims jostling before entering the shrine at Mahadwaram, because of elaborate checkup including scanning luggage, screening through metal detector and metal door frame and also frisking which will be done in a smoothly once the centre is shifted to spacious area in the queue complex, away from the temple.

It is pertinent to note that the scanner centre become a headache for the pilgrims and a sore point witnessing altercation between the security and pilgrims and also instances of security roughing up devotees beside creating jostling, miffing the devotees before entering the famed shrine.

The queue complex is already revamped providing much needed free telephone facility, milk to infants, help desk and additional toilets to pilgrim waiting in every compartment, EO said adding that the bottlenecks in the queue line including at Vendi Vakili and at the point where ‘Theertha’ prasadam given to devotees after darshan, where jostling common, were removed.

Restructuring of the vigilance and monitoring has started with the installation of more capable CCTV cameras first inside the temple, followed by in four mada streets around the shrine and later at all points on the hills, he said observing there will be tight security right from Alipiri to Tirumala. About the difficulties in getting accommodation, he said that the TTD introducing token system from July 12 to avoid pilgrims waiting in the line till they get room allotment.

During the rush, the pilgrims should wait even 12 hours at the counter but with the token system there is no need of pilgrims waiting, the EO said. Ten counters will be set up to avoid delay in registration for rooms, Anil said the token system would end the scope of discrimination by the staff at room allotment counters, earlier, resulting in some irregularities.

The EO stated that the TTD is not dispensed with ‘Divyadarshan tokens’ but studying slot allotment and informed that the TTD was forced to cancel Divyadarshan tokens as the number of footpath pilgrims reached beyond manageable level only during weekends. He informed that the footpath pilgrims remained more or less same even after cancellation of the tokens during weekends.

Replying a question, he said the TTD is accepting donation of jewels from the devotees, who adhere to the standards prescribed by TTD and only replica of existing jewels. If any jewel donated found not per standard they will not be adorned to deity and will be kept safely in TTD treasury.

Answering another question, he said that there is no impact of demonetisation on Hundi offering but it had its effect on bank interest and reduced TTD income on deposits following slash of interest rate by the banks. Press Club president J Bhaskar Reddy and secretary I Subramanayam were present.