TTD considering facial recognition technology to check fleecing of devotees by middlemen
The Hindu
In an attempt to ensure transparency in booking of darshan tickets and accommodation and curb the middlemen menace, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to launch several measures in the interests of the pilgrims visiting the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.
In an attempt to ensure transparency in booking of darshan tickets and accommodation and curb the middlemen menace, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to launch several measures in the interests of the pilgrims visiting the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.
The temple trust board is considering introduction of facial recognition and integrating Aadhaar numbers for further authentication and strict validation of the identity of the devotees.
The IT wing of the TTD, following the direction of Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao, conducted a thorough analysis of the data of the previous years related to online and offline booking of darshan tickets and accommodations. The data revealed widespread exploitation of devotees by middlemen.
It was found that 110 rooms were booked with the same mobile number under the current booking category at Tirumala, in addition to 807 accommodation bookings with the same mobile number and 926 online bookings on a single email id.
The IT officials of the TTD also identified 1,279 lucky dip registrations using the same mobile phone number in one year, besides 48 dip registrations on a single mail id during the same period.
To prevent corrupt practices and usher in more transparency in the system, the TTD has blocked the mobile phone numbers, mail ids, and identity proofs that were used in the illegal bulk bookings.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sought a report from the State government on a complaint that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had taken up works amounting to ₹387 crore in violation of rules in Varuna and Srirangapatna Assembly constituencies, allegedly on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s oral instructions.
“We are organising a health research convention, which comprises a couple of workshops, community-based learning, and also cardiac care. We also included a one-day seminar on medical education, how medical education has evolved in India and the U.K., and what we can learn from each other” said Dr. Piruthivi Sukumar Dean of the International Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Leeds during his interaction with The Hindu.