TIRUMALA: Speculations are rife that the TTDs’ management has determined to bring to the notice of the Board of Trustees, scheduled to meet on Saturday, the positive results of the cancellation of VIP break darshan in the evenings during summer vacations. The management might also seek Board’s permission to allow cancellation on permanent basis.

Highly placed sources in the TTD said that the annulment of the VIP break darshan (evening) during the recently concluded summer vacations has not only helped the management in clearing huge crowds, but also enabled the visiting pilgrims with enhanced darshan hours.

According to rough estimates, the cancellation of the VIP break darshan has contributed two additional darshan hours every day on an average and has also enabled the administration in clearing over ten thousand pilgrims daily. The proposal also seems to discourage the VIPs from having two darshans. As the VIPs attending the evening break darshan prefer spending nights atop the sacred town, the management was nevertheless embarrassed with the requests for darshan for a second time on the following morning.

Sources said that the meeting would also discuss the option of utilising the services of the renowned Avadhanam maestro Dr. Medasani Mohan, who retired recently from the post of the director, TTDs Annamacharya project. The meeting is likely to discuss the feasibility of taking over seventeen acres of prime land belonging to the TTDs’ pontiffs.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 15, 2013.