Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan drew record footfall: TTD chairman

Tirumala: TTD chairman B R Naidu said that over 93 per cent of devotees expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan held from December 30 to January 8 in Tirumala. He said the feedback reflected the effectiveness of planning and coordination by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

He addressed a media conference at Annamayya Bhavan on Friday after the completion of the ten-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan along with TTD executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal and additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdary. District collector Dr S Venkateswar, SP L Subba Rayudu, CVSO K V Murali Krishna and TTD Board members Santharam and Naresh Kumar were also present. The chairman said that AI-assisted real-time crowd monitoring through the Integrated Command Control Centre helped speed up darshan, including for devotees without tokens. He said this initiative enabled better crowd control and smoother pilgrim movement.

During the 10-day period, 7.83 lakh devotees had Srivari darshan, crossing the previous record of 6.83 lakh. A record 83,000 devotees had darshan on January 2, the highest ever on a Friday, while nearly 89,000 devotees had darshan on January 3, setting a new overall record.

Of the total 182 available darshan hours, 164 hours were allotted to common devotees. The hundi income during the period amounted to Rs 41.14 crore, while about 44 lakh Srivari laddus were sold, which was 10 lakh more than last year.

Security arrangements included the deployment of 2,400 police personnel and 1,150 vigilance staff, with assistance from NCC and NSS students. Devotees appreciated the illumination and decorative lighting in Tirumala, while barricading and uninterrupted water supply ensured smooth movement and basic amenities.

Under the Annadanam programme, 33 lakh devotees were served free meals during the ten days, an increase of 9.29 lakh compared to the previous Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan. There was a nearly 39 per cent rise in Annaprasadam distribution, with continuous food supply in queue lines. Hot badam milk was served to all devotees, and around 1,000 staff managed preparation and distribution.

Devotees expressed satisfaction with reception arrangements at the five PACs. The newly constructed PAC-5 building provided modern accommodation, and a large number of rooms were allotted to common devotees.

The gardens department set up a Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple near the Srivari Temple, along with floral decorations using traditional flowers, fruits and cut flowers. At Kalyanakatta, 2.06 lakh devotees underwent tonsure with improved facilities. Health, sanitation and medical services were provided round the clock, while about 4,000 Srivari Sevaks assisted in various services.

Naidu thanked the police, district administration, APSRTC, Srivari Sevaks, TTD departments and media for their support. EO Singhal said devotee footfall increased significantly this year, with Vaikuntha Ekadasi Darshan crossing 12 lakh devotees. Additional EO Venkaiah Chowdary said better coordination and efficient use of time helped extend darshan hours and accommodate more devotees comfortably.