Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam increases daily darshan online ticket quota from 6,000 to 9,000

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust which manages the temple of Lord Venkateshwara in Andhra Pradesh, is increasing the online quota of daily darshan. As per a report in Times Now, while the earlier online quota was for 6,000 devotees it has now been increased to 9,000. The report adds that devotees will have to undergo thermal screening and maintain all necessary safety protocols for COVID-19. Darshan for devotees over 65, under 10 and pregnant women have been restricted for now. People will need to wear face masks and follow social distancing rules in the premise of the temple. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, lakhs of devotees used to visit the shrine in Tirumala hills but the temple trust put a limit to the number after the lockdown was lifted. A report by The New Indian Express mentions that the TTD is releasing the July quota of Rs 300 special entry darshan tickets online for the benefits of devotees from Monday, 29 June. It also mentions that TTD will also issue 3,000 sarva darshan tokens per day during the month of July. Devotees can get the tokens a day in advance at Srinivasam, Vishnu Nivasam and Bhudevi Complex near Alipiri. The Andhra Pradesh government gave its nod to the re-opening of the temple from 8 June, on an “experimental basis” to locals and employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages its administration. TTD got the permission after a request was made by its executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal for holding a trial run for the temple’s administration employees and locals. Darshan for common devotees started from 11 June, with only 6,000 people being initially permitted to have darshan every day.