Tirumala water reserves rise to meet 100 days’ demand

Tirupati: Tirumala’s water reserves have gained some ground, with the five major reservoirs recording a net addition of 40.08 lakh gallons after meeting daily consumption, taking the estimated supply to 100 days. The improvement comes as Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) continues to grapple with concerns over inadequate rainfall and sustained water demand from pilgrims visiting the hill shrine. A fortnight ago, the available reserves were estimated to meet the town’s requirements for 90 days.

To conserve water, TTD has imposed restrictions on consumption by hotels, commercial establishments, private religious institutions and choultries. The measures are aimed at preserving the available stocks and ensuring uninterrupted supplies for pilgrims.

According to the latest figures released by TTD, the five major reservoirs — Papavinasanam, Gogarbham, Akasaganga, Kumaradhara and Pasupudhara — recorded a gross inflow of 61.68 lakh gallons as of Friday morning. After accounting for consumption of 21.60 lakh gallons, the net addition to storage stood at 40.08 lakh gallons.

Kumaradhara registered the highest increase, with its storage rising by 25.14 lakh gallons. Papavinasanam recorded an increase of 20.96 lakh gallons, while Gogarbham and Akasaganga received 9.25 lakh gallons and 6.33 lakh gallons, respectively. Pasupudhara reported no change in its storage. Papavinasanam remained the largest reservoir, holding 2,688.35 lakh gallons as of Friday morning. Gogarbham had 508.31 lakh gallons, followed by Kumaradhara with 363.98 lakh gallons. Akasaganga and Pasupudhara held 30.40 lakh gallons and 24.38 lakh gallons, respectively.

Between September 15 and October 23, the five reservoirs received a cumulative additional inflow of 244.46 lakh gallons. Of this, 7.02 lakh gallons flowed in during the Salakatla Brahmotsavams, while the Navaratri Brahmotsavams accounted for 148.48 lakh gallons. Rainfall, however, has remained limited. The Akasaganga dam area recorded 8 mm of rainfall over the past two days, providing only a modest contribution to the water reserves.

Tirumala consumes nearly 60 lakh gallons of water every day, with supplies drawn from the five reservoirs and other sources, including Kalyani Dam. Despite the recent improvement, the TTD faces the challenge of maintaining adequate stocks amid high demand and uncertain rainfall.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pradeep Vennelakanti

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