TTD handles record 51.3 lakh pilgrim baggage in April-May

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has set a new record by successfully handling over half a crore pilgrim baggage in April-May this year.The Tirupati trust operates 66 dedicated luggage counters at Tirumala and along the twin pedestrian routes to enable the devotees to deposit their belongings including bags and mobile phones, safely.With over 2.5 crore devotees visiting the sacred abode of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala annually, TTD has established a modernised luggage deposit and delivery system for the convenience of the multitude of devotees visiting the hill town.Over the years, TTD’s free luggage deposit system has earned strong patronage from devotees and in Apr-May this year, around 51.3 lakh pilgrim baggages were successfully handled by the Tirupati trust without a single glitch.While pilgrim baggage deposits in April last year were 20.7 lakh, they rose to 23.1 lakh this year. Similarly, while 23.8 lakh baggage deposits were recorded in May last year, 28.2 lakh were recorded this year.TTD authorities attributed the spike to an exponential rise in pilgrim footfall at Tirumala this summer.TTD additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdary stated that, to make the baggage deposit and collection system foolproof, TTD processes facial recognition-based QR codes, which are affixed to luggage deposited at the Devasthanams luggage counter. Devotees can subsequently collect their luggage back after presenting the receipt.Explaining that the Tirupati trust offers baggage deposit and collection services to devotees completely free of cost, Venkaiah Chowdary appealed to devotees to make optimal use of these services.