Tirupati: All set for Rathasapthami

Tirupati: Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is spruced up for the mega religious celebrations `Rathasapthami' which is the first major event being held with pilgrim participation after the relaxation of the guidelines following the cases drastically coming down in different States more so in the south, on Friday.

Anticipating a huge rush of pilgrims, the TTD made elaborate arrangements in the galleries with a total capacity of more than a lakh pilgrims to sit for watching the Vahana Sevas being held as part of the Utsavam and also in Anndanam complex for providing food and also distribution of food and beverage items to the waiting pilgrims in the galleries throughout the day.

The TTD to cope with the rush issued additional quota of special entry tickets and also offline SSD tokens for free darshan and made it mandatory to allow only those having darshan tickets to Tirumala for witnessing the Vahana Sevas being conducted on the occasion of Rathasapthami.

Ahead of the Rathasapthami festivities, TTD Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, made a spot inspection of the arrangements at the four Mada streets on Thursday.

During his inspection, the Additional EO made several suggestions to the Engineering, Annaprasadam, Vigilance and Health officials to ensure a hassle free facilitation for devotees coming for witnessing all the seven Vahana Sevas on Friday. He suggested them to take all precautions for supply of drinking water, distribution of Annaprasadam, sanitation of toilets and cleaning up of garbage all along Mada streets.