The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is actively considering the construction of a third Vaikuntam Queue Complex to alleviate the hardships faced by pilgrims during peak rush periods. With over 2.5 crore devotees visiting Tirumala annually, the hill town struggles to manage sudden surges, especially on select weekends, festive occasions, and during summer holidays. During these times, waiting periods for darshan often exceed 24 hours, with tens of thousands of devotees forced to stand in long queues outside before even entering the existing Vaikuntam Queue Complexes.
Improved Crowd Management but Persistent Challenges
Although crowd management has improved during major events like Brahmotsavams and Vaikunta Ekadasi in recent years, heavy footfall continues during weekends and vacation periods, putting immense pressure on infrastructure and leading to prolonged waiting hours. The TTD has been analyzing pilgrim footfall patterns to identify peak timelines throughout the year. Following the establishment of an integrated command control center last year, TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary, along with experts, has been studying these patterns. Since religious events are fixed annually, the exercise focuses on understanding irregular surges beyond festive periods.
Findings and Proposed Solution
TTD has found that abnormal pilgrim rush is witnessed for nearly 120 to 150 days each year due to multiple factors. During these periods, devotees are often seen waiting in serpentine queues for hours just to access the main darshan lines. Based on these findings, TTD is now exploring the construction of a third Vaikuntam Queue Complex near the Narayanagiri Gardens–RB Centre area. Senior officials from the Estates and Engineering departments, along with external experts, are working on concrete proposals.
According to Venkaiah Chowdary, the proposed Vaikuntam-3 complex will allow pilgrims to wait in a structured and comfortable environment. The facility will be equipped with waiting halls, compartments, sanitation facilities, and other amenities, ensuring a smoother darshan process. Once completed, the new complex is expected to significantly reduce queues outside and streamline pilgrim movement within the darshan system.
Next Steps
The proposal is likely to be placed before the TTD trust board soon for approval. If cleared, it could mark a major step towards eliminating long-standing issues of overcrowding and excessive waiting time at Tirumala.
