TTD to use 'hi-tech' methods soon

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, JAN. 7. The Tirumala- Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), is bracing itself up to use `hi-tech' methods. Among the hi-tech methods on cards are the credit card system, wide area network, Internet bookings for darshan, accommodation etc., from the ensuing Sankranthi (January 15).

As a first step, the Information Centres in all the district headquarters of Andhra Pradesh, and also in major cities such as Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai will be computerised and linked to the TTD's website. Each city will have a quota of darshan tickets and the pilgrims can book the tickets from any of these cities using the on-line facility.

This facilitates the pilgrims to start their pilgrimage with confirmation of darshan, as they book the date and time of their darshan and even accommodation at the respective stations, thereby eliminating the burden on their part, of running from pillar to post to secure cottages and the darshan tickets after they reach the Tirupati or Tirumala. The linking up of district headquarters to the central reception office would be done through the already existing AP State-wide Area Network (APSWAN) and that of the cities outside the State would be by Internet and through leased lines, dial-up connections etc.

Briefing the press of the decisions taken by the TTD in this respect, the Executive Officer Dr. I. V. Subba Rao, said a high- level expert committee of IT professionals, university professors, Telecom General Manager, ITI and communication experts met on Wednesday and Thursday and discussed the steps to be taken to make the new system run smoothly.

The committee, in its next session, would take note of the `security of transactions' and the precautions to be taken to avoid cyber crimes creeping up in this area, he stated.

Dr. Rao said like in rail and air reservation systems, the pilgrims could now avail the up-dated information on darshan timings through `electronic scrolling display boards', that would be erected at all reservation centres. For this, the TTD was engaging the services of IT giants such as CMC, TCS and NIC.Also the credit card system would be introduced from January 15, thereby making the card holders to book the darshan and other `arjitha' (paid) sevas by using the card, he said.

The international credit card issuing banks such as Citibank and Standard Chartered bank have come forward to deal with `global' pilgrims and the SBI, the SBH, the Andhra Bank and the Vijaya Bank would cater to the needs of the domestic pilgrims, he added.

Dr. Rao indicated that the adoption of dual practice i.e., allowing the pilgrims into the temple directly and also through `Su- darsanam' token queues had led to the mismanagement of time in providing darshan to the pilgrims at the `assured' hour and added that from January 15, the system would be made mandatory and all the pilgrims would have to enter the queue with the computerised bar-coded tag on their wrists.

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