Shorter wait times as Tirumala sees dip in summer pilgrim rush

Tirupati: Tirumala, which usually witnesses heavy pilgrim inflow during summer vacations, is seeing an unusually low turnout of devotees this year.Although summer holidays began a few weeks ago and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) anticipated a surge by cancelling VIP break darshan on recommendation letters from May 1 to July 15, the expected rush has not materialised so far.The lower turnout, compared to previous years, has resulted in less crowded streets, smaller congregations and shorter waiting times in queue lines—an uncommon trend during the summer season.TTD staff and locals said that unlike in the past, when pilgrim rush remained high for over two months, footfall this year has been largely limited to weekends, with very low numbers on weekdays.TTD data reflects a sharp drop in weekday footfall, with only a moderate increase during weekends.On Monday, the waiting time for Sarvadarshan (free darshan) was just 6–8 hours, with devotees occupying only seven compartments as of 6 am. Similarly, on May 7, the waiting time was around 6 hours, with pilgrims in just 11 compartments.In contrast, in previous summers, weekday footfall often crossed 80,000, while weekend numbers exceeded one lakh, leading to long queues and waiting times extending beyond 24 hours.The decline in pilgrim inflow has impacted the hospitality sector, already hit by irregular LPG supply and rising commercial gas prices.Traders, autorickshaw drivers, and others in Tirupati, Tiruchanoor, Srinivasa Mangapuram, and nearby areas said the reduced Tirumala footfall has had a cascading effect on visits to local temples, affecting livelihoods and the local economy.