TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has increased the sought-after VIP break darshan ticket quota for non resident Telugus at the Tirumala temple following directions from the Andhra Pradesh govt.
In 2014, the then TDP govt had formed the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu (APNRT) society to extend a range of services, including temple services to the non-resident Telugus.
The TDP govt had then directed the TTD to earmark a fixed quota of 50 VIP break darshan tickets a day to non-resident Telugus (NRTs). It also rolled out a series of other services for the NRTs.
While this service remained till the end of the TDP rule in 2019, the quota was slashed down to 10 VIP tickets a day during the subsequent five years of YSRCP rule. The YSRCP govt did not increase the quota despite criticism from the community.
After the TDP stormed back to power in 2024, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has underscored the role played by NRTs in rebuilding the state at many platforms, held a series of meetings with minister for NRI empowerment Kondapalli Srinivas, former APNRTS president Dr Ravikumar Vemuru and others to discuss the revival of services to NRTs.
Following instructions from the CM, TTD issued orders to hike the VIP break darshan tickets quota.
CM Naidu, TTD thanked for decision Speaking to TOI, Ramesh Nunna, founding member of the Dake Group and a South Africa-based NRT registered with the APNRTS, recalled that while a visit to Tirumala is a must on the itinerary of every devotee, NRTs had to lobby with politicians to get access to VIP darshan. He said: "Thanks to CM Naidu and the TTD for increasing the VIP tickets quota 10 times for NRTs."
APNRTS representatives are scheduled to hold a meeting with TTD senior officials before this increased quota of tickets.
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