Recently, there have been more sightings of wild cats along the footpaths and ghat roads in Tirumala. Because of this, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to make the Alipiri footpath a ‘No Leopard Zone’ using extra safety measures.

The TTD will increase watchfulness on the 2.5 km stretch from the seventh mile to the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple. This will help protect pilgrims walking this path.

At a recent meeting, officials talked about how to deal with these wild animals safely. They agreed to use new equipment like camera traps, bio-fences, net guns, strong torches, smart sticks, and pepper spray.

TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao joined the meeting online, along with other key officials. They planned both short-term and long-term steps to handle the problem better.

More security staff will be placed along the path, and rubbish will be cleared regularly to avoid attracting animals. Teams from the Forest, Revenue, Panchayat Raj, Health, and Vigilance departments will work together with the State Forest department to keep the area safe.

TTD will also ask for help from the Wildlife Institute of India and the State Forest department to create effective plans for the future.

Shopkeepers along the footpath will be warned not to sell food that might attract wild animals.

These steps show TTD’s strong commitment to keeping everyone safe while respecting the natural environment.