TTD’s e-token experiment under scrutiny after darshan surge

Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has drawn sharp criticism over its regulation of Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan during the first three days, from December 30 to January 1, with official data revealing that daily darshan numbers remained well below the shrine’s proven capacity.

On January 2, when the token-free system was restored, more than 83,000 devotees had a darshan in a single day, highlighting the stark gap between permitted footfall earlier and Tirumala’s actual handling capacity.

TTD figures show that fewer than 70,000 devotees were allowed darshan on each of the first three days, when entry was strictly controlled through e-tokens. This stands in contrast to previous peak occasions when Tirumala has smoothly managed over 90,000 devotees in a day. The difference became evident on January 2, when 83,032 devotees offered prayers - the highest Darshan count ever recorded on a Friday, according to TTD.

The criticism has been compounded by a severe mismatch between demand and the supply of e-tokens. While more than 24 lakh devotees applied online, TTD allotted only 1.89 lakh tokens across the three days. Of these, 57,000 were issued on the first day, 64,000 on the second, and 55,000 on the third. Even these modest quotas were not fully utilised, as several token holders failed to turn up, keeping actual darshan numbers significantly below the issued limits.

Despite accounting for VVIPs and other priority categories, the total number of devotees each day did not cross the 70,000 mark. This has raised questions about why TTD chose to operate well below capacity on one of the most auspicious occasions in the temple calendar, especially when lakhs of devotees were waiting for darshan.

The outcome has reportedly prompted TTD to reconsider its e-token-based model, particularly as it also excluded traditional Govindamala devotees. The rigid online token experiment appears to have backfired, with the pilgrim presence remaining unusually thin during the first three days of Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan.

TTD’s own records show that about 67,000 devotees had darshan on Vaikuntha Ekadasi, around 70,000 on Dwadasi, and nearly 65,000 on January 1. Once the restrictions were lifted, numbers surged immediately, underscoring that the temple’s full capacity had not been utilised earlier.

Officials maintained that stringent controls were aimed at preventing overcrowding and untoward incidents. TTD widely publicised that darshan would be allowed only with tokens during the first three days, and police even attempted to stop devotees without tokens from reaching Tirupati from neighbouring districts. Critics argue that this approach defeated the very spirit of the festival by restricting access to Lord Venkateswara on sacred days.

Adding to the discontent, several common devotees and even VVIPs complained that they were unable to have a peaceful darshan. A public representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said dissatisfaction was widespread, with only Maha Laghu Darshan permitted and devotees being hurried even before seeing the deity.

On Saturday, queues extended beyond Vaikuntham Queue Complex-2, with waiting times exceeding 15 hours by noon. The heavy rush is expected to continue through Sunday and beyond.