Tirumala to wear new look, get more spacious

With an increase in the number of pedestrians, besides the buses, cars and taxis headed to Tirumala, congestion is a frequent problem in the region.

TIRUPATI: Tirumala will soon get a new welcome arch and a four-lane road with separate bays for two-wheelers. These will be built by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) as part of its efforts to make the temple township’s core area traffic-free and more spacious for devotees.

The work, expected to cost Rs 4 crore, will begin after Ratha Sapatham on February 4. In addition, the existing bus station — at the heart of Tirumala — will be shifted to the Outer Ring Road. TTD chief engineer Ramachandra Reddy recently inspected and identified two spots to which it could be moved.
The existing welcome arch will be demolished to build a four-lane entrance gate with a toll gate bearing traditionally-designed arches along the lines of those in Alipiri. The entrance gate will have two bays for two-wheelers and two for four-wheelers — two lanes for incoming traffic and two for outgoing traffic.
About 50 people are being employed to regulate traffic when the construction is underway, and the work will be carried out round the clock in three shifts to ensure it is completed at the earliest. “We were given a deadline of 90 days for the work,” Reddy said.

Measures are in place to ensure traffic is not hindered during the construction, Reddy said. “We won’t stop the traffic that reaches Tirumala even for a day. When work is being done on one side, the other will be used for traffic,” he explained.

On an average, 80,000 people, including devotees, locals and temple staff, visit Tirumala every day, and hundreds of vehicles make trips to and from the shrine. With an increase in the number of pedestrians, besides the buses, cars and taxis headed to Tirumala, congestion is a frequent problem in the region. However, that is set to change. “Once the new lanes are built and the bus stand is moved to the Outer Ring Road, vehicular traffic in the core area will reduce, letting devotees move freely,” said TTD additional executive officer AV Dharma Reddy. He added that only devotees will be allowed in the area around the temple, and taxi and jeep operators will be kept away.

Buses will be diverted from the GNC toll gate to the bus stand on the Outer Ring Road. Taxis will also have to stop on the same road, though devotees arriving in private vehicles with valid darshan tickets will be allowed in the temple township and may reach their respective cottages or guest houses. “This will be implemented in a phased manner, without causing devotees any inconvenience,” he said. The use of more battery-operated vehicles is also being contemplated to reduce pollution in Tirumala with an ultimate aim of creating a pollution and noise-free sacred ambiance.

Quick statistics on temple township
80,000: visitors to Tirumala on an average every day
9,300: vehicles arrive in Tirumala every day on an average
1,200: Trips made by APSRTC buses per day on an average
300: vehicles used by TTD for official purposes