HYDERABAD: Lord Balaji's abode, Tirumala, which has been on the radar of terror organisations, is likely to get Special Protection Force (SPF) cover. As of now, several security agencies, including trained private personnel, are providing security to the hill shrine, right from the Alipiri gate to the sanctum sanctorum.

Nearly, 2,000 personnel have been guarding the major pilgrimage centre and there have been questions about the efficacy of the existing security apparatus. As per the proposal, the APSP, vigilance and local police would be replaced by armed SPF for security duties.

However, the SPF is awaiting the state government's nod to first increase its strength so that they could ramp up their presence at Tirumala in a phased manner from the existing 600 to 2,000.

"Once the proposal takes off, SPF will provide security from Alipiri, which is the entry point for Tirumala, and also atop the hill. However, the anti-terror striking force OCTOPUS would continue to stay put on the seven hills as Tirumala has been a prospective terror target.

Officials said that there have been demands from various institutions seeking SPF security and hence there has been pressure on SPF to accommodate them.

"As of now, SPF personnel are providing security to TTD and the proposal for increasing the strength has been there and I have to verify its status,'' director-general (SPF) Tejdeep Kaur said.

A year ago, SPF had taken over the security at Alipiri, where Maoists targeted then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. SPF personnel would undertake frisking, vehicle checking, law and order and other responsibilities.

The police officials said that they were currently dependent on private personnel for proving security in Tirumala, but they cannot continue to rely on it for long in the changing security scenario.