New restrictions, safety norms for Tirumala footpath trekkers

TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, announced on Monday that parents accompanied by children under the age of 12 will now have access to Alipiri and Srivari Mettu trekking routes only between 5 am and 2 pm, while the other devotees can trek until 10 pm. Notably, Alipiri trekkers will no longer need to scan their Divya Darshan tokens and can alternatively reach Tirumala by road.

After a high-level meeting of TTD officials, district and forest officials, Karunakar Reddy and TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy addressing the media reiterated their unwavering commitment to ensure the safety of footpath trekkers, who will be equipped with wooden sticks as a self-defence precautionary measure.

"To bolster safety measures, trained forest personnel will be stationed to oversee potential wildlife encounters along the trekking paths. The 500 CCTV cameras and drone units will help in real-time monitoring of wildlife movement, thereby fortifying security," the chairman said.

The TTD will establish a 24/7 wildlife outpost with medical professionals around, to attend to incidents of animal attacks. To enhance visibility during early morning and evening treks, the routes will be illuminated with focus lights that span up to 30 metres.

Stating that the responsibility was equally on the devotees, he said that feeding of animals along the route was strictly prohibited. People indulging in this violation, including vendors, would be penalised, he said. Hotels situated along the footpath have received directives to manage food waste in a responsible manner.

A decision regarding fencing the trekking routes will be made in collaboration with forest authorities and it would be within the ambit of the wildlife Act.