The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has intensified its efforts to check the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) at the abode of Lord Venkateswara here.
With the Central government declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, and keeping in view the number of pilgrims visiting the hill temple (70,000 on an average), the TTD, besides taking up an extensive awareness drive on the preventive measures, took a major decision on Tuesday introducing the ‘time slot’ system for darshan of the presiding deity.
Under the system, the devotees are allowed to have darshan of the deity without the need to wait for their turn at the Vaikuntham complex.
The devotees are being asked to report at the complex only at the time specified on the ticket.
Counters opened
The decision was taken in the wake of the guidelines issued by the Health Ministry to avoid mass gathering and over crowding at a single point.
Fourteen counters were opened for the issuance of time slot darshan tickets at Tirumala – seven each at the Central Reception Office and RTC bus stand.
In Tirupati, the counters were opened at the Srinivasam and Vishnu Nivasam complexes, TTD choultries, and RTC and Alipiri bus stands.
At annadanam complex
At the Nitya Annadanam complex, where devotees are served food free of cost, only two persons were allowed to sit on each table against the normal four. The staff working in the complex were provided with face masks. They were also asked to periodically clean their hands with sanitizers.
The barbers (hair dressers) working in different shifts at the main Kalyanakatta building and other mini tonsuring centres were also provided with face masks and anti-septic lotions.
They were also asked to strictly maintain personal hygiene as well as cleanliness of the surroundings.
The reception wing was equipped with additional staff for sterilising the cottages and guest houses with disinfectants at least hour ahead of allotting them to the pilgrims.
These apart, members of the TTD health wing were spraying germicides and disinfectants once in every two hours at all vital places where congregation of pilgrims was large.
Control room
A round-the-clock control room with telephone number 0877-2263447 was set up at the health office to lend advice to the pilgrims on demand.
As a precautionary measure, first aid centres were also set up at all the vital points atop the temple town.
