The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is all set to develop a software application for the devotees who could not undertake a pilgrimage to the hill shrine between November 18 and 30 due to the rains, despite booking darshan tickets.
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TTD Additional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy said the application will be made available in a few days. The devotees can book darshan slots online using the number provided on the previous tickets and visit the temple on any date of their choice within the next six months.
Even as the rains were unprecedented, the hill shrine remained unimpaired but for a few incidents. Of the 7,000 and odd cottages, only a few suites in a guest house had been damaged. “Both the ghat roads leading to the hill town including the Alipiri footpath have been opened. The breaching of culverts at four points has severed the Srivari Mettu footpath – the second and shortest route to the town from Srinivasa Mangapuram. The difficulty in transporting the material manually to the locations are hampering the pace of repair works. However, the devotees can use the Alipiri footpath till the completion of works,” he said.
The engineering, forest and health officials have been put on a alert in the back drop of a forecast of heavy rains between November 25 and 28. Earth movers, trucks and other rescue apparatus are in place to meet any exigency, he added.
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