TTD cancels Monday VIP Break, same-day Srivani darshan to prioritise common pilgrims

Placing the safety, convenience and early darshan of common devotees above all else, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has cancelled Monday’s VIP Break Darshan and withdrawn the same-day online Srivani Darshan quota as part of an extensive crowd-management exercise to cope with the unprecedented influx of pilgrims to Tirumala.

The decision comes as the hill shrine witnesses one of the biggest pilgrim rushes in recent years. More than 1.5 lakh devotees were waiting for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara on Saturday alone, prompting the TTD to mobilise its entire administrative machinery to ensure smooth crowd movement and minimise inconvenience to pilgrims.

TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary, who inspected the queue lines near the Pachikaluva Gangamma Temple Circle, said the temple administration was working in close coordination with all allied departments to manage the extraordinary rush. While the TTD normally facilitates darshan for 85,000 to 87,000 devotees a day, the current surge has necessitated several special measures.

All officers and employees have been directed not to avail themselves of leave until the situation returns to normal. Additional police personnel have also been deployed to strengthen security and improve crowd management.

To maximise darshan opportunities for common pilgrims, the TTD has cancelled Monday’s VIP Break Darshan and withdrawn the quota of 800 same-day online Srivani Darshan tickets. The quota under the SSD category and certain other privileged darshan categories has also been reduced, allowing more time for Sarva Darshan devotees.

Despite accommodation complexes and queue lines remaining full, the TTD has ensured uninterrupted supply of drinking water, Annaprasadam, sanitation services and other essential amenities.

Appealing for devotees’ cooperation, Mr. Chowdary urged pilgrims not to spend unnecessary time near the Sanctum Sanctorum so that those waiting behind them could have a smoother darshan. He reiterated that ensuring a safe, comfortable and hassle-free darshan for common devotees remains the TTD’s foremost priority.