TTD may scrap system of lists in VIP break darshan

Tirumala: The TTD is said to be considering doing away with the prevailing ‘lists’ system in the VIP morning break darshan for a variety of reasons. In the last few months, the temple administration imposed several curbs on the issue of VIP break darshan tickets by reducing them by almost half compared with the past.

While about 3,000 VIP morning break darshan tickets were issued daily in the past, they are now between 1, 500 to 2,000. Besides, evening break darshan tickets have been suspended completely in view of heavy weekend rush. Now it is said to be turn of lists system of morning VIP break darshan.

The temple administration introduced a couple of years ago the ‘lists' system in the VIP morning break darshan wherein the tickets were to be issued going by the protocol of the visiting VIPs and on the basis of recommendation letters from various quarters.

VIP morning break darshan was divided into three sub-slots as List 1, List 2 and General. Certain guidelines were put in place for the issue of VIP break darshan under the respective lists but there has always been criticism that the guidelines are hardly adhered to.

Besides, though there is a huge difference in the quality of darshan given to the VIPs under List 1 and List 2 in comparison to the general VIPs, all the three Lists of VIP break darshan tickets are priced the same at Rs 500 per ticket. As such there is always pressure from devotees for the List 1 and List 2 VIP break darshan tickets for comfortable darshan.

As this ‘Lists’ system is causing discontent among devotees who are having a darshan under certain lists, the TTD top brass led by EO Dr D Sambasiva Rao is said to be actively considering scrapping the system. Sources said a decision is expected very soon in this regard.