Modern amenities, tech-driven crowd management rolled out at Tirumala

Tirupati: Tirumala witnessed a major push towards modernisation of pilgrim facilities as Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu jointly inaugurated development projects initiated by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The new amenities aim at providing hassle-free accommodation and enhanced crowd management through advanced technology, promising devotees an improved spiritual experience.

The highlight of the inauguration was ‘Venkatadri Nilayam,’ the fifth Pilgrims Amenities Complex (PAC-5), developed at a cost of Rs 102 crore over 2.7 lakh sq ft. The facility has been designed to accommodate up to 4,000 pilgrims without prior bookings. It houses 16 dormitories, 2,400 lockers, hygienic toilets, round-the-clock hot water, and 10 high-speed elevators.

A dedicated Kalyanakatta with a capacity for 80 devotees at once, along with two dining halls serving 1,400 pilgrims each, further adds to the comfort. Safe drinking water through RO plants has been made available on every floor.

During their visit, Naidu and Radhakrishnan inspected the tonsuring facilities, locker allotment process, and the newly installed AI-powered waste segregation machines that allow pilgrims to dispose of packets via UPI/QR logins. Naidu symbolically handed over the first accommodation token to a devotee.

The dignitaries also examined waste collection systems and inaugurated double-chute, vision-based sorting machines installed at the Srivari Potu from the PAC-5 itself. Donated by the TVS group and manufactured by Genn Solutions, Coimbatore, these machines ensure impurities are removed from ingredients used for preparing the famed laddu and other prasadams.

Later, the Chief Minister unveiled the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at the Vaikuntam Queue Complex. Equipped with AI, machine learning, and quantum-ready analytics, the centre monitors real-time pilgrim flow, generating congestion heat maps from Alipiri to Tirumala. Officials reported that 4,500 pilgrims are currently facilitated per hour, with Naidu directing them to raise the capacity to 5,500.

Naidu instructed them to expand the ICCC network to all TTD temples, He further suggested screening devotional videos and Lord Venkateswara’s history in waiting areas, while stressing the need for strict checks to prevent prohibited items from reaching the hilltop. The officials were also told to ensure Tirumala’s cleanliness with instant alerts for unattended waste, and preserve greenery to maintain over 90 percent vegetation across the seven hills.

Ministers Nara Lokesh and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, MLAs, TTD chairman B R Naidu, executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal, JEO V Veerabrahmam, CVSO K V Murali Krishna, chief engineer Satyanarayana and TTD board members attended the event.