Sources from tirupati stated that In a major update amidst the coronavirus scare, the tirumala tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board has closed down the temple temporarily, as a preventive measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 virus. ttd board sending back the devotees from tirumala to Tirupati. The ttd officials have also closed the Ghat road at Alipiri for devotees to enter the hill and requested the devotees to leave the temple premises.Temple board has taken this decision, keeping in view of the devotees' safety.
Added to that, ttd has also closed the entry ghat road and opened the left exit ghat for the pilgrims to leave. They have also closed the Srivari walkway. Officials earlier in the day closed the gates of Swamy Pushkarini ( holy lake ) in tirumala, where the devotees take the holy dip. ttd Additional EO AV dharma Reddy has said that Swamy Pushkarini will remain closed from 12 PM on thursday, march 19. The entry ghat road has been closed and they have only left exit ghat open for the pilgrims to leave. They have also closed the Srivari walkway. It is reported that a high-level committee of the TTS board members have converged to discuss various issues of how to handle the exigency necessitated after a devotee from the North had developed fever and was immediately sent to the SVIMS hospital for treatment.
Its is also said that darshan would continue till tomorrow afternoon after which it would it be halted temporarily, it is said. This is the first time that such a situation has ever occurred in the history of the tirumala temple which has never closed its doors for devotees.
