tirupati: The mountain town of Tirumala witnessed the fierce and rapidity of the pilgrims on Sunday as the intermediate public examination results were announced in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. The weekend holiday further increased influx, resulting in long wait times and pressure on accommodation facilities.
As of 7.30 a.m., Sarva Darshan’s queue lines have no slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) tokens extending to the MBC area, with waiting time estimated at 18 to 20 hours. All compartments remain full and the devotees are seen waiting in a long queue outside the designated holding area. On Saturday, a total of 72,923 pilgrims were Darshan of Lord Venkateswara. The number of devotees who offer Tonsure is 35,571, while the collection of Hundi is 3333 crore. Tirumala accommodation facilities are severely strained and most cottages and hotels are completely occupied. As the rooms are not available, many devotees are seen resting and queuing in the complex in an open area.
The TTD requires pilgrims without SSD tokens to plan their visits accordingly and cooperate with authorities that manage the crowd.
