Latest news with #TirumalaTirupatiDevasthanams
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Tirumala Opens New Srivani Darshan Ticket Centre For Devotees To Avoid Long Queues
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) today officially opened a new SRIVANI Darshan Ticket Centre. The state-of-the-art facility, strategically located opposite Tirumala Annamayya Bhavan, was inaugurated on Tuesday evening by TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu, accompanied by TTD Executive Officer (EO) J. Shyamala Rao. The opening of this new centre addresses a long-standing challenge faced by devotees, who often had to endure long queues from as early as 5:00 AM to secure SRIVANI Darshan tickets. "Devotees have been standing in queues for Srivani Darshan tickets since 5 am," remarked Chairman Naidu during the inauguration. "In this context, these new counters have been built at a cost of Rs. 60 lakhs with state-of-the-art infrastructure to issue tickets easily to devotees." The SRIVANI Trust, a flagship initiative of the TTD, allows devotees to make a contribution for the development and maintenance of various TTD projects, in return for which they receive a special entry darshan. The high demand for these tickets often led to considerable wait times and inconvenience. The new centre, equiped with modern infrastructure, is expected to significantly reduce these queues and provide a more comfortable and efficient ticket issuance process. Following the inauguration of the SRIVANI Darshan Ticket Centre, Chairman Naidu also unveiled newly modernised sub-inquiry offices in the HVC (High-Level Cottages) and ANC (Annaprasadam Complex) areas. These upgraded facilities are designed to further enhance devotee convenience by providing better assistance and information services. The Chairman personally inspected the infrastructure set up at these locations, ensuring they meet the needs of the pilgrims.
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Sour mangoes: AP farmers struggle as prices crash, despite govt intervention to ease market crisis
AMARAVATI: Mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh are reeling under severe financial distress due to crashing prices linked to variety of reasons and limited procurement of the Totapuri variety, a prominent cash crop in Rayalaseema district. They now suggest the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the custodian of the Lord Venkateswara Temple, could come to their rescue by procuring the fruits. Despite a bumper crop in financial year 2024-25, farmers in Chittoor, Tirupati, and Annamayya districts are struggling as pulp industries allegedly refuse to buy sufficient quantities, citing reduced market demand and export challenges. "Farmers don't want political entanglements, but genuine solutions to protect livelihoods and ensure fair prices," said M Bhanu Prakash, a mango farmer from Tirupati. He noted that the promised Rs 4 per kg support price from the TDP-led government has been delayed, worsening hardships with rising transportation and labour costs. "This year's production reached nearly 1.5 lakh tonne, compared to last year's 90,000 tonne, leading to oversupply problems and reduced market demand," Prakash told PTI. Prakash demanded a Mango Board, questioning why no organised structure supports mango farmers despite the scale and significance of production in Andhra Pradesh. Minister of State for Rural Development, Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani said that the Centre reimbursed Rs 130 crore under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) recognising Andhra Pradesh's proactive efforts to protect mango farmers during the severe market crisis. "A total of Rs 260 crore was released at the rate of Rs 4 per kg by the state government and Rs 130 crore has been reimbursed from the Centre under the MIS," said Pemmasani in a post on X on Tuesday.
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
TTD plans to build lounges across Tirumala
VIJAYAWADA: To address the growing influx of devotees at Tirumala, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board resolved to form an expert committee to assess the feasibility of constructing Vaikuntham Queue Complex-3 to streamline crowd management. Plans are also underway to establish well-equipped rest centres (lounges) across Tirumala for enhanced devotee comfort. This innovative lounge initiative will cater to a diverse range of pilgrims, including VVIPs and VIPs, as well as those with free tokens and Rs 300 Sheeghra Darshan tickets, with a special focus on meeting the immediate needs of Srivani Donor Darshan ticket holders. The TTD has also noted a growing demand for such facilities among VVIPs, prompting the board to develop detailed plans, and identify suitable locations. Additionally, a master plan and detailed project report (DPR) will be developed to further enhance the Shila Thoranam and Chakratheertham areas in Tirumala. TTD allocates Rs 4.35 cr for Annaprasadam at Vontimitta temple The Board has allocated Rs 4.35 crore to ensure a continuous supply of Annaprasadam (free meals) for devotees at the Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple in Vontimitta, a significant step to enhance devotee welfare. Disclosing it during a media briefing alongside Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao after a key meeting at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala on Tuesday, TTD chairman BR Naidu explained that infrastructure upgrades, including improved lighting, security, and a spiritually enriching ambiance, will be implemented along the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu pedestrian pathways.
NDTV
18 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Tirupati Board Opens New Srivani Darshan Ticket To Ease Devotee Wait Time
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) launched a new SRIVANI Darshan Ticket Centre on Tuesday, aiming to streamline the ticketing process for devotees. Located opposite the Tirumala Annamayya Bhavan, the new facility was inaugurated by TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu and Executive Officer J. Shyamala Rao. The centre addresses long-standing complaints about lengthy queues, with devotees often waiting from 5:00 AM to secure SRIVANI Darshan tickets. "Devotees have faced long waits since early morning," Mr Naidu said at the opening. "These new counters, built for Rs. 60 lakh with advanced infrastructure, will make ticketing faster and easier," he added. The SRIVANI Trust, a key TTD initiative, lets devotees contribute to temple projects in exchange for special entry darshan. High demand for these tickets has often caused significant delays, which the new centre is expected to reduce with its efficient setup. Mr Naidu also unveiled upgraded sub-inquiry offices at the High-Level Cottages (HVC) and Annaprasadam Complex (ANC) areas. These modernised facilities aim to improve devotee support with better information and assistance services. Mr Naidu also inspected the setups to ensure they meet pilgrims' needs.
NDTV
a day ago
- General
- NDTV
Months After Laddoo Row, Tirumala Gets In-House Lab To Test Food Items, Ghee
Hyderabad: For the first time, food samples, including ingredients used for making laddoo prasadam offered to Lord Venkateswara and food items offered to devotees, can get tested for quality at Tirumala itself. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) today inaugurated a state-of-the-art Food Quality Testing Laboratory. This crucial facility, a long-awaited addition, was officially opened on Tuesday by TTD Chairman BR Naidu and Executive Officer (EO) J Syamala Rao. The establishment of this in-house laboratory marks a pivotal moment for the TTD. Historically, the temple administration faced considerable challenges in promptly and efficiently assessing the quality of its food products. As Chairman Naidu highlighted during the inauguration, "earlier, samples had to be sent to other states to test the quality of items like prasadams and ghee." This process often led to delays and complexities, particularly when quick analysis was required to address quality concerns or dispel controversies. A notable instance illustrating this challenge was the recent "laddoo controversy," where allegations regarding the purity of ghee used in the iconic Tirupati laddoo prasadam emerged. During that period, samples of ghee reportedly had to be dispatched to external laboratories, even in other states, for testing and verification. This reliance on external facilities underscored the urgent need for an in-house solution to ensure immediate and transparent quality control. The absence of such a facility within Tirumala meant that critical decisions regarding food safety and quality were often contingent on external lab reports, which could take time to procure and analyse. Now, with the new laboratory, the TTD is empowered to conduct direct and immediate tests. TTD EO Syamala Rao emphasised the groundbreaking capabilities of the new facility, particularly for ghee analysis. "Till now, there is no facility to test the quality of ghee in Tirumala, and now for the first time, equipment like GC (Gas Chromatograph) and HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatograph) have been installed, which can instantly analyse the adulteration and quality percentage of ghee," he stated. These advanced instruments are vital for detecting contaminants and ensuring the purity of ingredients. The Executive Officer also gratefully acknowledged the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of Gujarat for their generous donation of equipment worth Rs 75 lakh, making this facility possible. Furthermore, he informed that the laboratory staff and even the 'potu' workers (those involved in preparing the prasadams) have undergone specialised training at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore, ensuring expertise in operating the equipment and interpreting results. This comprehensive approach ensures that quality checks can be performed meticulously and results provided without delay.
