Tirupati: The TTD has mandated to cord in state of art of technology with a variety of electronic gadgets, softwares and IT initiatives to secure the wealth of Tirumala and also to make the hill shrine as a safe haven for thousands of devotees who throng the temple annual Brahmotsavam.
During Brahmotsavam a force of 2,000 vigilance, two teams of Octopus, large group of local police and home guards are being deployed to ensure safety of devotees and for the smooth flow of the nine day festive event.
Since thousands of pilgrims from all over theworld are participating in the holy event, fool proof arrangements are being made throughout Tirumala and Tirupati.
The surveillance at Tirumala will henceforth be tech driven with CCTV’s, airport model of security checks, facial signature software to identify criminals in a crowd and provision of child tags for the faster identification of missing children. “Nothing will be left to chance or fate in locking up the entire hill shrine against any criminal or terrorist activities” says CV and SO Ake Ravi Krishna
In the first phase all the areas will be monitored by horde of CCTVs. There are presently 640 CCTV cameras installed in all crucial zones like Srivari Temple, Mada streets, Gollamandapam, Akhandam, Kalyana kata and VQC complexes.
TTD is planning to rope in another 600 CCTV cameras to monitor the crowds during Brahmotsavam through the command control. Even the infrastructure of the command control will be altered with new huge HD screens with trained police personnel monitoring them on a 24x7 basis.
“Everyone knows that Tirumala was in the eye of terrorist and criminals focus in view of the huge footfalls of devotees, their contributions to temple and its heritage and religious significance. As such we have also decided to introduce an airport model of security checks at both at the Srivari Temple complex” Mr Ravi Krishna said.
As part of the innovative and fool proof measure checking, a wetting exercise will begin from VQC complex where the state of the art equipment will be installed before compartments for security check of luggage and also to hairline physical check of the devotees up to the Mahadwa-ram. TTD also have hand held detectors, CC units
“TTD vigilance is alsoplanning to introduce highly advanced and individual focused concept of ‘child tags’ to curb the menace of kidnap of children below 10 years. The unique tag with basic details of the child, phone number, etc., will help in the child to return to her his/her parents and also to inform the police. At some stage we can also think of introducing GPS bits in those tags”, he added
The adaptation of the FINS (Finger print information system) is yet another gadgetry utility which would go a long way in preventing/spotting and also identifying the menace of known anti-social elements during such as huge congregations like Brahmo-tsavam at Tirumala.
‘We have tested the FINS on a random basis during the Krishna Pushkaram last year and yielded good dividend in nabbing criminals roaming around looking for preys and baits’ he said.
During congregations like Brahmotsavams such technology will be a boon to the police to monitor and keep pace with crime.
