TTD cancels Monday VIP break, same day of Srivani darshan, to prioritize co-pilgrims

More than 1.5 lakh devotees awaited Lord Venkateswara’s darshan on Saturday as Tirumala witnessed one of the biggest pilgrim rushes in recent years. | Photo credit: File photo

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) puts the safety, convenience and early darshan of regular devotees above all else and has canceled Monday’s VIP Darshan break and withdrawn online quota of Srivani Darshan on the same day as part of a massive crowd management exercise to cope with the unprecedented influx of pilgrims to Tirumala.

The decision comes at a time when the hill shrine is witnessing one of the biggest pilgrim rushes in recent years. More than 1.5 lakh devotees were waiting for Lord Venkateswara’s darshan on Saturday alone, prompting the TTD to mobilize the entire administrative machinery to ensure smooth movement of the crowd and minimize inconvenience to the pilgrims.

Another executive of TTD Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary, who controlled the queues near the Pachikaluva Gangamma temple circle, said the temple administration was working closely with all allied departments to handle the extraordinary rush. While TTD normally allows darshan for 85,000 to 87,000 devotees daily, the current surge has necessitated some special arrangements.

All officers and staff have been ordered not to take leave until the situation returns to normal. Additional police personnel have also been deployed to beef up security and improve crowd management.

To maximize darshan opportunities for common pilgrims, TTD has canceled Monday’s VIP Darshan break and withdrawn the quota of 800 Srivani Darshan online tickets for the same day. The quota in the SSD category and some other privileged darshan categories has also been reduced, allowing more time for Sarva Darshan devotees.

Although the accommodation complexes and queues remain full, TTD has ensured uninterrupted supply of drinking water, Annaprasadam, sanitation services and other essential amenities.

Appealing to the devotees, Mr. Chowdary urged the pilgrims not to spend unnecessary time near the Sanctum Sanctorum so that those waiting behind them could have a smoother darshan. He reiterated that ensuring safe, comfortable and hassle-free darshan for common devotees remains the top priority of TTD.

Published – 28 Jun 2026 19:53 IST