Tirumala, September 21, 2013: Amid the ongoing protests over Telangana, the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam is gearing up for the nine-day Brahmotsavam commencing on October 5, 2013. Besides adequate transport, food and security arrangements, steps were taken to create facilities for the differently-abled and senior citizens at Tirumala, TTD Trustee N. Kanniah said on Friday.

Briefing journalists on the preparations for the Brahmotsavam, he said that on a request by the TTD the Railway Board had agreed to operate special trains from Chennai to Tirupathi and also augment coaches in the scheduled trains to clear the extra rush of pilgrims.

Since many transport workers were participating in the ‘Samaikya Andhra’ agitation, the number of bus services to Tirumala had come down drastically.

“We are negotiating with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and private operators to ply adequate buses to Tirumala from the foothill (Alipiri) and Tirupathi railway station…a few lakh devotees are expected to visit the hill shrine during the Brahmotsavam,” he said.

Source: The Hindu, September 21, 2013