TTD Considers Direct Entry for Devotees Without Tokens

NEWS CHARIOT : Despite the conclusion of the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan, the influx of pilgrims at Tirumala continues unabated. Although the Vaikuntha Darshan was officially completed just two days ago, the Temple authorities have allowed devotees to directly enter the queue lines without tokens for a faster darshan experience.

From January 10 to 19, only those with advance darshan tickets and tokens were allowed entry to the Vaikuntha Dwara. This left many devotees from far-off regions unable to have a darshan, contributing to the continued heavy crowd at the temple.

In response, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to allow pilgrims direct access to the Vaikuntha queue complex-2 without tokens, aiming to provide darshan to as many devotees as possible. However, the TTD has also announced that token distribution for the general darshan will resume from Thursday morning.

Discussing Token-Free Darshan for Pilgrims

For several years, the TTD has implemented a time-slot system for devotees visiting for the Sri Venkateswara Swamy darshan. But now, the issue of allowing pilgrims without tokens for darshan is under serious discussion by senior TTD officials.

Getting tokens for darshan has become a challenge, and waiting in long queues despite securing a token has added to the frustration. To ease this, the TTD is exploring solutions for direct entry into the darshan queue for pilgrims without tokens.

In light of the tragic stampede during the Vaikuntha Dwara darshan, where six pilgrims lost their lives, the TTD is keen on improving services and ensuring better management of crowds. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to explore ways to improve the experience for pilgrims and avoid such incidents in the future.

Currently, on normal days, over 60,000 devotees visit for darshan, and the TTD is deliberating on how to manage this crowd effectively while ensuring smooth darshan without causing inconvenience. A final decision will be made soon regarding this matter.