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Fire safety system in Tirumala to be revamped

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI July 14. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to revamp the fire safety mechanism in the temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.

Based on the intelligence inputs received on the potential threat to the shrine in the wake of the attack on the Parliament building and the Akshardham temple, the TTD has taken several steps to meet contingencies. The extent of damage a fire can cause to the temple complex filled with thousands of devotees at any given point of time, has made the management improve the existing fire safety system.

The process will start with the Srivari Potu (temple kitchen), where the "prasadams", including the "laddu", are prepared. The kitchen has naturally come under the scanner as huge LPG-run ovens are used and hence are more prone to fire accidents.

A fire safety mechanism comprising water hydrants, gas leakage detection and water sprinkler is already in place at the "potu", installed in 1989 by Mather & Platt Ltd, a Chennai-based arm of the Shaw Wallace group, a specialist in fire safety installation and maintenance. The system was designed in such a way that water is sprinkled all over if the sensor detects the heat to be above the prescribed level. However, the system was in disuse for long and it was finally rendered useless.

When the TTD proposed to Shaw Wallace recently to restore the system, the latter had reportedly agreed not only to take up the Rs.12-lakh repair work free of cost, but even maintain it for a year. The system would also be extended to the uncovered areas in the temple in future.

A panel, headed by the TTD's Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, E. Damodar, and comprising the water works and "potu" chiefs, the station fire officer, Tirumala and a representative of the Indian Oil Corporation (which supplies cooking gas to the TTD), has been formed to review the system at "potu" on Tuesday.

The "potu" will not work that day due to "Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam", a customary ritual wherein a paste of sandal, camphor and saffron is smeared on the inner walls of the temple in view of the annual Anivara Asthanam festival.

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