Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy on Thursday said that shortage of accommodation in Tirumala would continue to be an issue for the people visiting the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara.
Speaking to the Media, Mr. Dharma Reddy said that the devotee turnout had gone beyond the 1-lakh mark in the recent months in the aftermath of relaxations of COVID-19 restrictions, but there was no proportionate increase in the availability of cottages and guesthouses in Tirumala.
The TTD has 7,000 suites in Tirumala, which is sufficient to cater to the needs of around 35,000 devotees, in addition to the Pilgrim Amenities Complex (PAC) that can accommodate around 15,000 pilgrims at any point of time, he said.
Further, the State government and the High Court have imposed restrictions on new constructions atop the hill.
Hence, providing comfortable accommodation to the devotees has become an uphill task for the TTD management and the situation is likely to persist even in the future, said Mr. Dharma Reddy.
“It will be wise on the part of the devotees to visit the temple town as per the time prescribed on their darshan tickets and plan their accommodation in Tirupati instead. It will save them from the ordeals of arduous wait for accommodation in Tirumala,” he added.
