TTD planning to clear VIP crowd quickly on Vaikunta Ekadasi

TTD plans to clear VIP crowd on Vaikunta Ekadasi, reduce privileged darshan tickets, focus on common pilgrims for SSD tokens.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to clear the VIP crowd on the day of ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’ (January 10) quickly and utilise the time saved for the benefit of the ordinary devotees.

The TTD had issued around 5,000 privileged darshan tickets during the previous Ekadasi festival, however, this time they are planning to reduce the tickets by at least 20 percent. They believe the reduction in the number of tickets will save time.

The TTD already declared that only those VIPs arriving in person will be extended with the courtesies they deserve, subject to their stature, and that no referral letters of any kind will be entertained.  

In an exclusive chat with The Hindu, Additional Executive Officer (Addl. EO) Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary said that the main focus this year will be on pilgrims with ‘Slotted Sarva Darshan’ (SSD) tokens. “As the influx of common pilgrims is expected to be high, the administration is resolute to allocate more darshan hours to them. The clearing of VIPs on a faster note specifies allocation of additional time for the common devotees. It is for this reason that separate entry and exit points are being marked for them (VIPs), so that they can be cleared on a faster note.     

The TTD is also preparing for a massive influx of pilgrims during the 10-day ‘Vaikunta Dwara Darshan’ from January 10 to 19, coinciding with the ‘Makara Sankranti’ holidays when schools and colleges remain closed.  

To accommodate the expected crowds and shield them from the cold and inclement weather ‘German Hangars’ are being erected around the ‘mada streets’. Restrooms and bathrooms at vantage points are also being refurbished.

However, senior officials, while commending the large-scale arrangements, expressed their dissatisfaction over the alleged reports of allocation of privileged darshan passes to board members. They questioned the rationale behind granting special passes to them, at a time when the TTD had taken a strong decision not to entertain any kind of referral letters and termed it as a dual approach by the administration.