TIRUMALA: The recently imposed ‘time limit’ restriction by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) on the Tirumala ghat road has nevertheless come as a blessing in disguise to the local taxi and cab drivers in making fast bucks.

The distance between Tirumala and Tirupati is around 20 km. According to the new restriction in force, any vehicle proceeding towards Tirupati should not reach the destination ahead of the stipulated 40-minutes time.

With the TTD administration strictly adhering to the time limit, the taxi drivers, fearing a dent in their income, have now resorted to new tactics to enhance their earnings.

The new strategy not only helps them reach the destination in accordance with the stipulated time but also has proved a windfall.

The stratagem is quite simple. They just halt for a few minutes at the sixty feet tall mammoth idol of Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy on the seventh mile and at the deer park en route to Tirupati and exploit the devotees in the name of waiting charges.

Though the cab drivers do not even cover an extra mile in the course of their travel to Tirupati, the pilgrims are nevertheless taxed for their innocence.

The taxi drivers, who earlier charged around Rs. 300 to travel down to Tirupati, are now reluctant to compromise for any amount below Rs. 500 for the same distance.

It’s high time that the TTD management checks the misconduct of the drivers and save the pilgrims from burning their pockets.