Slot-wise Darshan trial run

TIRUMALA: With just two days left for the prestigious and innovative scheme of issuing time slotted tokens to Sarva Darshan pilgrims also on the lines of Rs 300 and footpath pilgrims which is set to commence from December 18 to 23 on an experimental basis, Tirumala JEO KS Sreenivasa Raju inspected the counters in Tirumala on Friday evening.

Addressing the media, the JEO said that the TTD deputed 80 senior officers, 300 employees, 75 Trilok and 50 Bank of Baroda employees to man the 117 counters located in 14 locations at Tirumala. “Following the feedback received from the pilgrims, we will take further initiative to implement this revolutionary scheme in February or March next in a full-fledged manner,” he said.

The JEO said that based on the observations they were contemplating to set up the Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) counters in Tirupati also to facilitate pilgrims to visit sub-temples in and around Tirupati. Earlier, an orientation programme for the deputed employees was held at Annamayya Bhavan. The IT wing explained the issuance of SSD tokens to pilgrims through PowerPoint presentation. Later, Temple Deputy EO Kodanda Rama Rao, Annaprasadam Deputy EO Venugopal and Catering Officer GLN Shastry, IT and Transport wing head Sesha Reddy, VGO Ravindra Reddy explained to the employees about the various arrangements.