TTD Closes Ghat Road At Alipiri, Temple Doors For Devotees

Tirupati, March 19 (Maxim News): In wake of spread of much dreaded Corona Virus all over world, TTD board has taken preventive measures to keep disease at bay. The TTD administration has closed the Ghat road at Alipiri to stop the entry of devotees into the hill shrine. It also asked the devotees to leave the temple premises after the darshan.

The entry ghat road was closed and left the exit ghat only open for the pilgrims to leave. They also closed the Srivari walkway. The TTD board members met and discussed various issues as to how to handle the exigency after a devotee from the North developed fever and was immediately sent to the SVIMS hospital. The temple authorities said darshan for pilgrims would continue till Friday afternoon after which it would it be halted temporarily. For the first time in the history of the Tirumala temple, the doors of Lord Balajee were closed for the devotees. Earlier in the day, the officials closed the gates of Swamy Vari Pushkarini in Tirumala.

TTD Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy said the Pushkarini will remain closed from 12 pm on Thursday keeping in view of the devotees’ safety. He also said mass bathing of devotees in the Pushkarini will further aggravate the chances of the COVID 19 spreading.

The TTD EO said the board has arranged 18 alternative shower baths for the devotees with the same Pushkarini water. As a preventive measure, the temple board took up cleaning and sanitizing the Pushkarini ghat for every two hours. The Temple Deputy Executive Officer Harindranath, Health Officer and other TTD officials inspected the temple area thoroughly. (Maxim News)