Devotees who have booked darshan tickets and accommodation at Tirumala will be refunded if they wish to cancel their journey to the temple town in view of the coronavirus threat, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy said on Tuesday.
The TTD has also appealed to devotees to come equipped with masks and hand sanitisers to Tirumala in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Summer plans
Temporary sheds will be erected in the vicinity of the main temple and at areas where devotees congregate in large numbers, in order to shade them from the heat.
Roads and trekking routes will be given a white coat of paint once a week to give devotees relief from the summer sun. Emphasis will be laid on providing accommodation to those reaching the town without any recommendation letters, officials said.
The caution deposit system will be re-introduced to usher in more transparency in the allotment of cottages and guesthouses, it was decided at a review meeting held on Tuesday.
Senior citizens and visitors who come with children aged below five will be allowed into the temple on a normal basis. However, special courtesies extended to them twice a month shall be temporarily withdrawn in May and June.
While around one crore devotees visited the temple between April and July last year, the laddu sales soared to a high of 4.60 crore during this period. Efforts are on to better last year’s performance, Mr. Dharma Reddy said.
Barbers shall work in three shifts at the massive Kalyanakatta (tonsuring center) and the services of additional barbers will be roped in subject to the demand. About 3,500 Srivari Seva volunteers along with 1,500 scouts and guides will be pressed into service during the summer season.
Forest and fire departments have also been asked to stay alert and set up firefighting equipment at all guesthouses and other important establishments. Laddu production will be enhanced to meet the pilgrim demand and sufficient ORS packets will be maintained at all first-aid clinics, it was resolved.
Published - March 11, 2020 01:08 am IST
