TTD temporarily stops Srivari Seva voluntary service

Tirumala: In view of the spike in Covid cases across the country, the TTD has decided to temporarily stop Srivari Seva voluntary service. The TTD is involving the Srivari Sevaks who were requisitioned by TTD from various States for pilgrim service in Tirumala and Tirupati supplementing the services of its employees for better service to the visiting pilgrims.

As the Covid cases have been increasing alarmingly in the second wave of pandemic gripping many States including the two Telugu States where most of volunteers come from for pilgrim service, the TTD has decided to stop the Srivari Sevaks' voluntary service as part of its series of measures being initiated for the safety of pilgrims and employees in Tirumala.

Srivari Sevaks are being involved in various wings in TTD including Parakamani (sorting out the offering in the Hundi), Laddu Prasada (counters) distribution, Annadanam and also pilgrim service like guiding and regulating the queue lines inside and outside the shrine. The TTD requested the Srivari Sevak volunteers who have registered for undertaking service during the April (remaining days), May and June months to take note of the TTD stopping the voluntary service and cooperate.

Once the situation turns to normalcy, the TTD will announce resuming of Srivari Seva for the Sevaks to involve them in the pilgrim services, said a release from the TTD here on Tuesday.

It may be noted here that the TTD drastically cut down the number of pilgrims being allowed for darshan and also allowing the ticket holders to go to Tirumala a day before the darshan and also keeping the two pedestrian paths open only for limited hours.

First, the TTD cancelled the Sarva darshan for which 22,000 tickets are issued daily across the counters in Bhudevi complex and Vishnu Nivasam and now TTD also decided to cut down the Rs 300 Special Entry tickets from 25,000 to 15,000 with effect from May 1 to minimize the number of pilgrims to Tirumala temple around 25,000 daily as against 55000-60000 before the start of second wave of Covid.