AP: Children permitted on Alipiri, Srivari Meetu footpaths only upto 2 pm

To ensure safety of pilgrims, more security personnel would be deployed on both the footpath routes, said TTD Chairman B Karunakar Reddy

Hyderabad: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to permit children on the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpath routes only from 5 am to 2 pm only. The decision was taken in the wake of the recent leopard attacks on pilgrims trekking the hilltop of Tirumala from Tirupati.

After 2 pm, children would not be permitted on the footpaths. Adults too would be permitted to trek only upto 10 pm. As a safety measure, each pilgrim would be handed a stick. Restrictions have also been imposed on two-wheelers reaching Tirumala from Tirupati. Two-wheeler drivers would be allowed on the ghat roads between 6 am to 6 pm.

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All these decisions were taken at a high level meeting chaired by TTD Chairman B Karunakar Reddy at Padmavathi Guest House, Tirupati on Monday.

As part of precautionary measures, pilgrims will be permitted to walk in groups. All the eateries and hotels on the footpath routes would be strictly directed not to dump waste on the sides of footpaths. This apart, measures would be taken to ensure that en route pilgrims do not feed the wild animals, especially deer, he said.

To ensure safety of pilgrims, more security personnel would be deployed on both the footpath routes. Further, 500 camera traps were being used and if need be, drone cameras would also be used, besides installing more focus lights on the footpath routes, he said.

A meeting would be convened with union Forest Ministry officials and discuss measures for fencing the foothpath routes. At the seventh mile on the Alipiri route, sign boards would be installed to caution the pilgrims, the TTD Chairman said, adding more awareness programmes would be organized on the safety measures.

Every day about 15,000 pilgrims were being issued Divya Darshan tokens and they can reach Tirumala by road or on foot. These regulations would be in force till the wild animals movement comes down in the areas abutting the footpaths, he added.