Tirumala: In view of the huge rush of devotees crowding for the 'Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam', the Titumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) that manages the Lord Venkateswara temple, started issuing tickets from Thursday midnight.
Earlier, it was decided that tickets would be distributed from 2 pm on Friday. However, the TTD and police personnel posted here could not control the crowd as several devotees thronged at the temple premises to celebrate Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Finally, it was decided to start the ticket distribution process ahead of the schedule.
The 'Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam' is scheduled to begin from tomorrow and will continue for 10 days till January 1. The first day on December 23 will coincide with Vaikuntha Ekadasi. Tickets printed in special colours have been issued for Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Dwadashi days.
An elaborate arrangement has been made for 80,000 devotees to visit Venkateswara Swamy for the next 10 days. TTD officials have arranged nine centers in Tirupati for issuing Vaikuntha tickets. A total of 25,000 people will be allowed darshan through special entrance gates for Rs 300 per day. Around 42,000 people would be allowed through Sarvadarshan tickets while 2,000 devotees, who have made donations to Srivani Trust will be allowed darshan with letters of recommendation.
TTD has released 2.50 lakh special entrance darshan tickets online for the 10 days and another 4.20 lakh Sarvadarshan tickets will be issued in Tirupati. Nearly 92 counters have been set up in nine areas of Tirupati to issue Sarvadarshanam tickets.
The tokens will be issued at Bhudevi Complex, Indira Maidan, Ramachandra Pushkarini, Jeevakona ZP High School, Vishnunivasam, Srinivasam, Ramanaidu School in Bairagi Patteda, ZP High School in Seshadri Nagar and Govindaraja Swamy Satras in Tirupati, officials said.
The TTD officials said that special information centres and QR scans will be set up and staff will be appointed to give appropriate instructions so that devotees can easily go to the Sarvadarshanam counters for assistance.
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