Weekend rush in Tirumala: 60,000 have darshan by 6 pm on Sunday

TIRUMALA: Serpentine queue lines of pilgrims continued even on Sunday extending upto Octopus building in Outer Ring Road with the unprecedented crowds thronging Tirumala.

The Hill town is swarmed by devotees hailing from across the country due to weekend rush, coupled with series of festive holidays.

The TTD has made elaborate arrangements of food, milk, water at various points apart from MTVAC, Food Courts, Narayanagiri Gardens and other points.

JEO Veerabrahmam inspected the queue lines at Narayanagiri, ORR, compartments of Vaikuntham Complex and observed the amenities being provided to pilgrims at regular intervals by giving directions to the officials concerned.

Srivari Sevaks are pressed into service at all the vital points with a special focus on Annaprasadam, health and vigilance departments.

About 50,000 plus servings were made in main Annaprasadam complex alone while in Vaikuntham Compartments 1.30 lakhs servings (which includes both Annaprasadam and upma, pongal etc.)were offered. This is double the normal servings. Apart from this, milk was also served to children.

TTD vigilance and police officials ensured that there is no stampede in queue lines.

By 6pm on Sunday itself nearly 60,000 pilgrims had the Darshan of Sri Venkateswara Swamy.

Inspite of TTD's appeal to infant parents and aged to postpone their pilgrimage to Tirumala due to heavy rush, thousands belonging to these categories came for Darshan. Apart from the devotees of Southern States, pilgrims from Jharkhand, Maharastra, Gujrat, many newly wed couples were also turned out in large numbers.

All the top brass officials of Engineering, Health, Annaprasadam, Vigilance and Medical departments are aeen continuously monitoring the queue lines overseeing the amenities to devotees.