TTD officials told to enforce ban on plastic in Tirumala

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Additional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy on Monday appealed to the devotees to not carry plastic water bottles to the Tirumala town.

Presiding over a high-level meeting at the Annamaiah Bhavan, he exhorted the heads of various departments of the TTD to ensure enforcement of a total ban on the use of plastic in Tirumala.

Emphasising the need for creating awareness among the people of the town and the devotees on the ban, he asked the officials to check the vehicles at the Alipiri tollgate to prevent pilgrims from carrying plastic bottles.

Addressing the hoteliers at Asthana Mandapm, Mr. Dharma Reddy urged them to maintain hygiene, display tariff boards, provide computerised bills, accept digital payments and avoid causing difficulties to devotees.

Assuring the owners of hotels in the temple town that all their grievances would be taken to the notice of the higher officials, Mr. Dharma Reddy said the feasibility of providing a separate lane to the local denizens at the Alipiri checking point would be considered by the TTD.

Golden sword donated

Hyderabad-based businessman M.S. Prasad on Monday donated a golden sword (Surya Katari) to the Lord Venkateswara temple.

The sword was handed over to TTD Addtional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy. About 2 kg of gold and 3 kg of silver are said to have been used to make the sword worth around ₹1 crore.

TTD to release online darshan ticket quota today

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will release the online quota of ₹300 special entry tickets for darshan at the Lord Venkateswara temple for August at 9 a.m. on Tuesday (July 20).

Around 5,000 tickets will be made available on a daily basis. Even as there is a growing demand for increasing the quota, the TTD is averse to the idea till a clarity on the much speculated third wave of coronavirus pandemic emerges.