To check the spread of coronavirus, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the affairs of the Sri Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh, said on Saturday that pilgrims need not wait in massive queue complexes from March 17, as time-slot tokens would be issued for darshan of the diety in the hill shrine.
Addressing reporters at Tirumala, TTD executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal said, "Following the call by the Andhra Pradesh government to initiate steps to check the prevalence of coronavirus, we've contemplated some measures."
The devotees would not be allowed to sit in the compartments of queue complexes to avoid person-to-person contact.
"In the given time slots system, the pilgrims would be allowed for darshan by limiting the numbers. The devotees should bring any ID card viz aadhaar or voter ID or driving licence along with them to get the time-slot tokens for darshan," he said.
Special counters would be set up in Tirumala and Tirupati to issue such tokens, he said.
The 'bhoomi pooja' (foundation stone laying ceremony) for the construction of Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Mumbai, scheduled for April 5, has been put off following the coronavirus scare, he said.
Certain 'Arjitha Sevas' conducted at the shrine, including Visesha Puja, Sahasra Kalasabhishekam and Vasanthotsavam would remain cancelled to avoid congregation of pilgrims for long duration on the hills.
Seeking divine intervention to safeguard humanity from the dreadful virus, TTD would conduct a three-day Maha Yagam, Srinivasa Shantyotsava Sahita Dhanvantari Maha Yagam from March 19 to 21, he said.
The yagams would be held under the guidance of the chief pontiff of Visakha Sarada Peetham Swarupanandendra Saraswathi Swamy and Mantralaya Raghavendra Mutt seer Subudendratheertha Swamy, he added.
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