Shabby arrangements at Tirumala angers CM

Hyderabad, Dec 28: The Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah, on Monday was annoyed at the poor arrangements made at the world famous Tirumala Hills for the lakhs of pilgrims visiting the shrine for the auspicious Vaikuntha Ekadasi.On receiving reports of pilgrims being put to great inconvenience for accommodation and for the darshan of the Lord, the Chief Minister immediately asked the officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (Ttd) as to why complaints are pouring in on the arrangements atop the Hill Shrine. “Despite knowing well that the inflow of pilgrims will be heavy for the Vaikuntha Ekadasi, why enough steps have not been taken to provide necessary arrangements for the devotees,” he asked the Ttd officials.Directing the Ttd authorities to accord highest priority to the common pilgrims moving in the general queue, Mr Rosaiah wanted the temple officials to take immediate corrective measures and ensure that the pilgrims are not put to inconvenience.

Mentioned about the large number of VIP passes issued to selective pilgrims, a disturbed Mr Rosaiah said those entering through the general queue be given preference.He wanted the senior officials of the Ttd to closely monitor the situation and inform him of the problems, if any, in taking necessary steps in the Vaikuntham Queue Complex for the pilgrims. “I do not want to hear any complaints from the devotees in the arrangements for either accommodation or darshan,” he said.Meanwhile, a report from Tirupati says, the hill shrine witnessed massive protests from the pilgrims complaining of haphazard arrangement by the Ttd for the annual event. As the Ttd did not issue Sighra darshan tickets, thousands of the devout squatted on the road at the bus-stand and at the reservation Queue Complex.