Tirumala witnesses heavy pilgrim rush

Tirupati: Tirumala is witnessing a massive pilgrim influx over the long weekend, with free Sarvadarshan devotees waiting nearly 18 hours for a glimpse of Lord Venkateswara. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ramped up crowd management as the surge overwhelmed facilities.

By Sunday evening, all Vaikuntam Queue Complex compartments were full, with queues stretching to the ATC area. Over 50,000 pilgrims had darshan by 7 PM, while thousands remained in line. Even special entry (Rs. 300) ticket holders faced 5–6 hour delays, and Slotted Sarva Darshan devotees waited up to six hours.

Crowds extended across Tirumala and Tirupati, with long queues at accommodation counters, laddu and luggage points, tonsure centres, and Nithyannadanam halls. Tirupati railway station and RTC bus stand also saw a huge rush.

In response, TTD deployed senior officials from Tirupati and stepped up services. Additional EO Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary conducted inspections at Narayanagiri Sheds, overseeing the supply of drinking water and Annaprasadams, and instructed better deployment of Srivari Sevaks.

Around 2,500 Srivari Seva volunteers were positioned at key locations, including queue lines, reception counters, and tonsure centres.

To prioritize common devotees, VIP Break Darshan has been suspended until June 30. While TTD claims arrangements are in place, some pilgrims reported shortages of food and water at certain points.

Despite hurdles, the temple saw 78,821 darshans and 33,568 tonsures on Saturday, with the Srivari Hundi collecting Rs. 3.36 crore.