Heavy crowds throng Tirumala for Vaikunta Ekadasi, 15 fall ill

While senior officials were busy extending courtesies to VIPs, the common pilgrims were left high and dry.

Pilgrims queue up all along the outer ring road for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara on Vaikunta Ekadasi on Friday at Tirumala.

A large number of devotees on Friday turned up at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala for Vaikunta Ekadasi festival.

Devotees, braving the chill weather, waited in queue for long time for darshan. More than 15 people in the queue took ill and were given first-aid at Aswini hospital.

All the claims made by the Tirumal Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that elaborate arrangements were in place for the occasion proved wrong with the devotees being subjected to severe difficulties. The massive Vaikuntam complex was full to its capacity and the darshan queue that spilled out of the sprawling gardens stretched beyond three kilometres circumnavigating the thoroughfares of the town and extended on to the outer ring road.

Abrupt traffic restrictions from Thursday evening affected vehicular movement and forced pilgrims to walk long distances.

The management came under attack for improper supply of food and water sachets. The inadequacy of wash rooms was clearly felt and the devotees were forced to spend wait for their turn at wash rooms.

While senior officials were busy extending courtesies to VIPs, the common pilgrims were left high and dry.