K M Dayashankar
Briefs the media on the improvements in the last one month at Tirumala
TIRUMALA, JULY 20, 2024: Affirming that upholding the serenity and sanctity of Tirumala, is his topmost priority, TTD EO J Syamala Rao briefed the media on the new improvements and changes brought in various aspects of the mechanism for the benefit of the multitude of visiting pilgrims in the last one month.
During the press conference held in Gokulam Rest House on Saturday in Tirumala, the EO said, Chief Minister of AP N Chandra Babu Naidu has ascertained him to revive the existing mechanism in terms of Darshan, Annaprasadam, Laddus, IT and other core areas in the larger interests of the pilgrims coming from various places across the country as well the world.
After holding detailed departmental review meetings, in the last month, several changes have been brought in the mechanism which include streamlining the outside queue line system, enhancing the taste of Annaprasadams in MTVAC and also the quality of Laddus, bringing several IT reforms in Darshan and Accommodation bookings, upkeeping the sanitation, he asserted.
“Besides bringing changes in the TTD set-up, we are also keen on the health security of the tens of thousands of pilgrims coming to Tirumala. So, we have initiated steps against the big canteens (hotels) with the help of Food Safety Department authorities. As a part of this, we closed down a big canteen a few days ago for not following norms provided by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), for maintaining poor sanitation, charging huge prices and providing low quality and unhygienic food and also for not paying the Licence Fees despite several notices. “We have also launched a mobile Lab which tests about 80 ingredients”.
The EO also said the hoteliers in Tirumala should follow quality and rates as per TTD guidelines and not sub-lease to others. Very soon a new policy with many other aspects will be brought to force, he maintained.
Adding further the EO also said, an exclusive laboratory with advanced equipment and improved specifications and testing standards is needed for Tirumala to verify the quality of at least ten to 12 important ingredients used in Srivari Prasadams and Anna Prasadams viz. ghee, rice, pulses, jaggery, sugar, tamarind, and many others.
He said that for the convenience of the devotees, a new shed has been set up for six thousand people to wait at the Narayangiri queues. “Three AEOs have been exclusively assigned the responsibility to ensure that drinking water, milk, Annaprasadams, and sanitation measures are provided to the devotees waiting in queues without any problem. Counters and additional toilets have also been set up to provide Annaprasadams to the waiting pilgrims in the outside queue lines.
TTD will further strengthen the IT system and correct errors in the booking of Arjita Sevas, darshan, accommodation and other services. He said to avoid serpentine lines and long waiting hours for the pilgrims, we have increased the existing quota of 1.05lakh SSD tokens to 1.47lakh per week. More reforms will be brought in future for the benefit of scores of pilgrims visiting Tirumala”, he asserted. JEO Veerabrahmam, Chief PRO Dr T Ravi was also present.
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