TTD to induct anti-drone technology

Tirupati: Following the controversy pertaining to drone visuals of Tirumala temple, the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management has decided to induct anti-drone technology (ADT) to check any such incident in future.

The TTD had approached the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, for providing ADT for installing it in Tirumala. TTD Chief Security and Vigilance Officer D Narasimha Kishore said that as the ADT involves huge cost, the TTD desires to get some donor to bear the cost to get the technology.

The CVSO, who was present at TTD Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy's media briefing in Tirumala on Monday to counter allegations of diversion of funds from Srivani Trust and other issues, said that TTD preferred static anti-drone system in Tirumala to alert TTD on the presence of any drones in Tirumala.

Executive Officer Dharma Reddy said that TTD gave permission a few months back to the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hyderabad, to use drone for a survey it required for soil waste management, in the area in between Kakulakonda and Tirumala and a copy of the permission was also sent to the Vigilance department. It was to be ascertained that the personnel engaged for drone operation confined their recordings to the area to which permission was given or went beyond it to take the visuals of other areas in Tirumala.

He said responding to the TTD request, YouTube already withdrew the drone visuals from its portal. TTD would not spare anyone involved in taking visuals of the temple and the guilty will face stern action, said Reddy.