After a gap of over six months, the TTD on Thursday allowed devotees to trek along the Srivari Mettu footpath – the easy and shortest route to reach Tirumala.
Speaking to the media, TTD Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (CVSO) Gopinath Jatti said that the pathway was closed in March in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus. Now, with the virus gradually on the wane, the TTD had decided to reopen the trekking route in accordance with the unlock guidelines.
Devotees for the present would be allowed to trek along the pathway from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. so as to enable them reach the town before night fall. Enough care had been taken in providing lighting and upkeep of sanitation along the route.
Devotees with either online or offline sarva darshan tokens alone would be allowed to pass through the route.
In reply to a question, he said that the movement of wild animals had also come down with ample rains during the season. As a precautionary measure, security personnel were deployed at certain identified points on the route for regular foot patrolling and setting up of a permanent security post similar to the one at Alipiri.
