The stage is set for installation of eight card-swipe machines at several ticket counters at the historic Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam, to facilitate purchase of tickets using debit/credit cards for various arjita sevas, prasadam, and rooms in the cottages under the temple administration.
The technology-driven initiative also enables the devotees make donations to the Nityannadana Satram using the electronic mode. The move was necessitated in the backdrop of the cash crunch triggered by demonetisation and the consequent renewed thrust on digital payments.
The initiative comes close to the heels of the launch of the online seva portal www.bhadrachalamonline.com by the temple administration a few weeks ago. The portal allows devotees to book tickets online for Vaikunta (Uttara) Dwara Darshanam on the occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi festival on January 9.
The famous Bhadrachalam temple, popularly called ‘south Ayodhya,’ reports an annual income of Rs. 22 crore. Most of the temple’s annual revenue comes from the sale of various arjita seva tickets and hundi collections in the form of donations.
However, a significant chunk of the revenue is spent on salaries and other maintenance activities.
This has prompted the temple authorities to embrace digital technology in a big way to streamline the temple administration and improve services to the devotees.
“We have already received eight card-swipe machines from the concerned bank officials for use in Arjita Seva and prasadam ticket counters, as well as at the central reception office, Nityannadana Satram, and other main places, to enable devotees avail the electronic payment system,” in-charge executive officer of Bhadrachalam temple T. Ramesh Babu said.
The response for the online ticket booking system introduced for the ensuing ‘Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam’ has been encouraging so far, he said, adding that plans were afoot to expand e-services at the temple soon.
