Tirumala Tirupati temple board says no to VIP recommendation letters during summer weekends

A devotee poses before the Tirupati temple. AFP[/caption]The management has taken a firm decision not to consider recommendation letters issued by VIPs for darshan and other facilities, including accommodations to their near and dear ones visiting the hills on all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the summer months of April, May and June, temple sources told PTI.However, only protocol VIPs would be given priority in getting accommodation and special entry tickets for darshan on payment, executive officer of TTD, D Sambasiva Rao said.TTD took the decision keeping in view the heavy flow of pilgrims during the ensuing summer vacation from April onwards and to enable more number of common pilgrims to have darshan. According to The Hindu, the decision will be in force for 10 weeks from 7 April.The TTD has classified the VIP darshan into three categories. List-1 tickets are issued to the VIPs who come in person, List-2 for their kith and kin and List-3 for those with recommendation letters, The Hindu reported.There will be no discrimination of any kind between the List-2 and List-3 VIP darshan formats on the weekdays during the period, according to The Hindu.The Times of India reported that at the board meeting, TTD also discussed in detail about increasing prices of Arjita sevas and other tickets. A decision would be announced at the next board meeting.The board at its meeting approved the allocation of Rs 86 crore for various developmental works, The Times of India reported. Of this, Rs 53 crore would be spent for housekeeping and management services at Tirumala. Vakulamata rest house with a spacious parking facility and 270 rooms would be constructed at a cost of Rs 39 crore.With inputs from PTI