Negative Covid19 or vaccination certificate mandatory for darshan at Tirumala temple
TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has made Covid19 test or vaccination certificate mandatory for pilgrims visiting the hill town of Tirumala. Only those with the Coronavirus-negative certificate or vaccination second dose certificate will be allowed entry into the hill temple for darshan, likely, from October 1.
TTD trust board chairman YV Subba Reddy made the announcement in this regard from Tirumala on Wednesday. He said devotees coming with online Rs 300 Special Entry tickets or slotted Sarva Darshan tokens – to be released online from 25th of this month, should possess either second-dose vaccination certificates or Covid negative test report. They have to do this three days prior to the date they report for the darshan.
The TTD chairman urged devotees to note the Covid guidelines and strictly observe them and co-operate with TTD. All the Covid guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are being carried out by the temple management.
He said 8,000 numbers of online quota of Rs 3000 Special Entry Darshan tickets will be released online at 9 am on September 24. An equal number of 8,000 Slotted Sarva Darshan tokens will be released online for the period from Sept 26 to Oct 31, on Sept 25 at 9 am.
Reddy said that they will stop the issuance of offline Sarva Darshan tokens in Tirupati from Sept 26. The decision has been made in view of the health security of local devotees as well those from other regions in view of the Covid pandemic, he said.
“As the overcrowding at SSD token-issuing centres had allegedly become a source of the spread of pandemic Covid during the Second wave, the TTD has taken this decision,” he maintained.
