Tirumala is preparing for the summer rush, and TTD is planning some major changes to manage the crowds.
From May 1, VIP break darshan and slotted Sarva Darshan tokens are likely to be cancelled. Instead, TTD is considering a Vaikuntha Ekadashi-type system to handle the heavy flow of devotees.
The move comes after reviewing data from the past three years. During May, June and July, Tirumala sees heavy footfall, with around 23 to 24 lakh devotees visiting every month.
At present, 2 to 3 hours daily are reserved for VIP darshan, covering around 3,800 people. Officials say the same time can accommodate nearly 15,000 general devotees if opened up.
This is one of the key reasons behind the plan to suspend VIP darshan during peak summer.
Another major concern is waiting time. Under the current SSD token system, devotees are waiting up to 22 to 23 hours for darshan. With the Vaikuntha Ekadashi model, this could come down to around 8 to 12 hours.
Under this system, darshan categories are simplified and crowd movement is managed in a continuous flow, helping handle large numbers more efficiently.
TTD estimates that around 80,000 devotees can get darshan per day if the model is implemented.
The idea is to give more opportunity to common devotees and reduce waiting time during the peak season. A final decision is expected soon after internal review.
