AI-powered ICCC cuts Tirumala darshan waiting time to 8–14 hours from 24–36 hours

VIJAYAWADA: The Artificial Intelligence-based Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) established by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has drastically improved pilgrim management in Tirumala, reducing the average waiting time for darshan to 8-14 hours from the earlier 24-36 hours during peak rush periods. TTD Additional Executive Officer Chirumamilla Venkaiah Chowdary made a detailed presentation on the ICCC before chief minister Chandrababu Naidu during the collectors’ conference, explaining how technology-driven governance has transformed crowd management, traffic regulation and pilgrim movement in Tirumala. The project was set up with Rs.23 crore donated by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) after IT minister Nara Lokesh appealed for support during his visit to the United States. Naidu appreciated the NRI delegation led by JP Vejendla for supporting the initiative aimed at improving services for common devotees. Venkaiah Chodary said that the ICCC has emerged as the central monitoring system for Tirumala administration by integrating Artificial Intelligence, surveillance systems, predictive analytics and real-time monitoring tools under a unified digital platform. The system tracks every vehicle entering Tirumala right from the Alipiri checkpoint. Officials explained that frequent stoppage of vehicles and unauthorised parking near Alipiri had been causing major traffic congestion. The ICCC now alerts authorities instantly to expedite clearances and regulate vehicle movement, helping reduce traffic bottlenecks significantly. The command centre also provides real-time assessment of pilgrim flow across Tirumala. It continuously tracks how many devotees entering the hill shrine possess darshan tickets, how many are opting for Sarva Darshan, how many pilgrims complete darshan every hour and how many are expected to arrive in the next few hours. Chowdary said the system enables TTD to accurately estimate crowd pressure and take advance decisions on queue regulation, compartment allocation and deployment of staff. The AI-enabled monitoring mechanism also tracks devotee behaviour inside queue lines and alerts authorities whenever abnormal crowd movement or potential disturbances are noticed. Venkaiah Chowdary explained that the ICCC has shifted Tirumala administration from reactive management to predictive governance. “Instead of responding after congestion builds up, the system now gives advance inputs on pilgrim arrivals, queue movement and traffic patterns. This allows us to take preventive measures in real time and ensure smoother darshan for devotees,” he said. Naidu expressed satisfaction over the results achieved through the technology-driven initiative and observed that the reforms are directly benefiting common devotees by making darshan faster, smoother and more organised. Chowdary said the ICCC would be further strengthened ahead of Brahmotsavams, Vaikuntha Ekadasi and other peak seasons to handle rising pilgrim volumes efficiently. Impact Of AI-Based ICCC In Tirumala