Andhra Pradesh: TTD warns legal action against fake tour operators

TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chief vigilance and security officer (CVSO) Gopinath Jatti warned middlemen and tour operators to not misuse Srivani donation linked VIP break darshan tickets by bundling them into attractive Balaji Darshan tour packages.

The TTD launched Srivani trust donation linked VIP break darshan in 2019. Under this scheme, TTD provides one VIP break darshan to every devotee who donates Rs 10,000 and pays an additional Rs 500 towards the darshan ticket.The Srivani donation linked VIP break darshan tickets are issued under both current booking and online modes.
The temple body has not fixed any limit on the maximum number of VIP break darshan tickets to be issued under this scheme.
But as the TTD continues to impose limits on the maximum number of darshan tickets that can be issued under the slotted Sarva darshan and Rs 300 special entry darshan categories, the demand for Srivani donation linked VIP break darshan has seen a steep rise.
Some middlemen and tour operators have cashed in on this demand and added Srivani donation linked VIP break darshan tickets to Balaji Darshan tour packages.
In one such case that drew the TTD’s attention, one Vasavi Yatra and Tours launched a chartered helicopter package tour to Tirupati that included VIP break darshan at the Lord Balaji temple at Tirumala and Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanoor, along with five-star hotel accommodation and free local travel.
Each ticket under this package, which was made available to devotees from Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore, was priced at Rs 1,11,116.
After the agency’s promotional leaflets circulated online went viral on social media, the TTD’s vigilance and security wing swung into the action and initiated legal proceedings against the tour operator, identified as B Shiva Kumar.
Meanwhile, Gopinath Jatti made it clear that the temple body issues VIP break darshan tickets only to protocol VIPs and those referred by them. In addition, the TTD issues VIP break darshan directly to donor devotees who extend donations to the Srivani trust. The temple has not earmarked any quota for state-run tourism corporations or private tour operators.
“We appeal to devotees to beware of middlemen. Devotees should inform the TTD if they are approached by middlemen with such fake Tirupati darshan linked tour packages,” appealed CVSO.