The heavy traffic restrictions imposed on vehicular movement from Tirupati to Tirumala, in view of Garuda Seva on Saturday, is feared to not only cause confusion among the visiting pilgrims, but also rob the annual event of the festive spirit.
The police department has clamped a total ban on movement of two-wheelers on the ghat road from Friday noon till Sunday noon. Tourists coming in cars, twelve-seaters and buses from far-off places will have to either park their vehicles at ‘Devlok’ complex in Alipiri or take passes to reach Tirumala. The restrictions of four-wheelers will be gradually lifted after the ‘Garuda Seva’ programme is completed.
The restrictions came into force as there are 38 parking lots with a combined capacity to park 8,000 four-wheelers at Tirumala, and vehicles arriving beyond the capacity will have to be parked downhill.
According to police sources, a coordinated effort has been made with the toll plaza to monitor the number of vehicles moving up and down the hill and track the filling up of vehicles in the parking lots.
Pass distribution centres
Pass distribution centres have been set up on various highways, from where the devotees can take them from October 1 (Saturday) morning.
Vehicles from Chennai route will have to take the passes at SV Puram toll plaza (near Vadamalapet) and those from Kadapa route can get them at Kesava Reddy school in Kukkaladoddi. Vehicles from Nellore route can get the passes at Shree Engineering College at Yerpedu and those from Chittoor route can get the same at Ithepalle. Vehicles from Madanapalle route will be issued passes at Sree Vidyanikethan college. Similarly, the local residents can get passes from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, SV Zoo Park (both at Alipiri), SV Engineering College and Ammanacharya Engineering College ((both on Karakambadi road).
Two-wheelers can be parked at Alipiri old check post, Nehru high school, SV Medical College ground or ISKCON ground.
Meanwhile, APSRTC has announced that the fare for one-way and return(to-and-fro) journey for an adult passenger from Tirupati to Tirumala on the electric buses ₹110 and ₹200. The fare for a child is pegged at ₹80 and ₹150 respectively.
