TIRUMALA: As Dasara holidays coincide with Navaratri Brahmotsavams from Oct 12 to 20, Tirumala is witnessing an unprecedented pilgrim surge, with TTD expecting 20 percent more footfall than September Salakatla Brahmotsavams that drew 73,500 pilgrims daily.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has pressed a technology-driven plan into action to control the pilgrim rush.
For the first time, a Central Command Control System with 2,800 CCTV cameras, facial recognition and AI analytics is monitoring queue lines, galleries and Alipiri checkpoint round-the-clock in three shifts. ISRO satellite imagery support is also being used for headcount analysis and disaster management with NDRF teams.
To prevent stampedes during Garuda Seva, TTD cancelled all VIP break darshans and privilege categories — senior citizens, persons with disabilities, parents with infants, NRIs, donors — from Oct 11 to 20. Only protocol dignitaries exempted. Recommendation letters not accepted Oct 10-19. Rs 300 Special Entry Darshan tickets for the festival were released online at 10 am IST.
Traffic is being held before Tirupati city. Five new mega parking lots, including Annamacharya Engineering College at Mangalam, plus three entry-point plazas at Kukkaladoddi for Kadapa route, Renigunta for Chennai side and Vakulamatha for Bengaluru route, act as extended pilgrim reception hubs. Devotees wait there with Annaprasadam before hill ascent. APSRTC ran 13,671 trips carrying 3.92 lakh devotees in last Brahmotsavams.
Last festival saw 5.76 lakh devotees get darshan in eight days, Rs 28.94 crore hundi income, 21.84 lakh Annaprasadam meals, 33 lakh laddus sold, 3,500 sanitation staff clearing 173 tonnes waste on Garuda day, 4,000 police plus 2,400 vigilance personnel deployed. A fail-safe communication network, tested at Kumbh Mela, is on standby for emergencies.
Devotees advised to book only via official portal http://ttdevasthanams.ap.gov.in and plan visits accordingly for comfort and safety.
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