K M Dayashankar
TIRUMALA, JULY 14, 2024: With an aim to provide transparent services in online and offline Darshan and Accommodation, the TTD has taken some pilgrim initiatives, to get rid of the middlemen menace.
Upon the instructions of TTD EO J Syamala Rao, the TTD IT wing during its Data Analysis, identified that the services being offered to the pilgrims in both offline (Counter Services) and online (Web portal) are being exploited by many middlemen, collecting huge amounts from devotees.
The booking data for the past one year was analysed in various online (Special Entry Darshan, DIP, Accommodation, Sevas, Virtual Sevas etc.,) and offline (Slotted Sarva Darshan, Sarva Darshan, Accommodation Current Booking etc.,) services and observed that bulk bookings were made by the middlemen using the same mobile number, mail ID and ID proof.
Some of the major fraudulent booking observations:
Over 110 rooms availed with the same mobile number in Current Booking at Tirumala, 124 bookings having 12 or more rooms, availed in last one year in Current Booking at Tirumala, 807 accommodation bookings using the same mobile number in online booking, 926 accommodation bookings using the same email id in online booking,1279 DIP registrations in one year using the same mobile number, 48 DIP registrations in one year using the same mail ID, 14 tokens availed in Slotted Sarva Darshan using the same ID proof and many such instances.
To improve the transparency and to see that genuine pilgrims get the TTD tickets offline and online, serious action was initiated against the middlemen, by blocking the mobile numbers, mail IDs and ID proofs used for bulk bookings.
The bookings made by the middlemen for the pilgrims, will not be allowed to avail the service and the cancellation of bookings will be notified to the registered mobile numbers of pilgrims.
TTD is taking thoughtful steps to ensure the genuine pilgrims get the service without depending on the middlemen, using Facial Recognition System, restrictions on bookings using mobile, e-mail and ID proofs and is also taking steps to use AADHAAR services for proper authentication and validation for offering more transparent services to the pilgrims.
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