Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) [India]: Tirupati Collector S Venkateswar announced that elaborate arrangements have been made ahead of the Vaikunth Ekadasi festivities set to begin on Friday at the Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple. The sacred event, scheduled from January 10 to 19, allows devotees to pass through the Vaikunta Dwara to receive Lord Venkateswara’s blessings.
Speaking to reporters, Venkateswar said that 1.2 lakh tickets have been sold for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, with sufficient police personnel deployed at ticket counters and other key locations.
“Elaborate arrangements have been made for Vaikunth Ekadasi this year by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) and the District Administration. A sufficient number of police personnel were deployed at all the ticket counters (nine in Tirupati and one in Tirumala). Holding areas have been set up to manage crowds,” the Collector said.
Stampede Incident and Response
The preparations come in the wake of a tragic stampede at a ticket distribution center in Tirupati on Tuesday night, which claimed six lives and left 40 others injured.
“An unfortunate incident occurred due to some miscommunication regarding the opening of the gate. The situation was brought under control by 9:30 PM last night, and ticket distribution was completed by 1:00 AM,” Venkateswar explained.
He further confirmed that five individuals lost their lives in the stampede, while one succumbed to illness. The post-mortem procedures are underway.
CM Chandrababu Naidu’s Review and Support
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has called a review meeting on Thursday to assess the situation and prevent similar incidents in the future. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to visit the injured and meet the families of the deceased.
“Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has spoken with all concerned officials following the incident. He is visiting the affected and reviewing the situation personally,” Venkateswar added.
Additional Measures and Ticket Distribution
The district administration has bolstered security with additional forces deployed across Tirumala to manage the expected influx of pilgrims. Offline tokens for darshan have been made available at various distribution centers in Tirupati to streamline the process.
Vaikunth Ekadasi remains one of the most significant events at the Tirumala Temple, drawing devotees from across the country. Despite the tragedy, officials are striving to ensure a safe and well-organized experience for all attendees.