UP Police mull Tirupati-like security system in Ayodhya, Varanasi

The Uttar Pradesh Police is mulling Tirumala-Tirupati like security, pilgrim rush management in Ayodhya and Varanasi.

A team of top UP police officials were in the temple town in Andhra Pradesh studying the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam security model, in order to spruce up their infrastructure.

A grand Lord Ram temple is under construction in Ayodhya, expected to be opened for devotees by the end of next year. Kashi, the abode of Lord Shiva since ancient times, is also undergoing a major makeover.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had, last month, inaugurated the Rs 700 crore Kashi Vishwanath corridor project. Apart from decongesting the temple surroundings, the corridor has beautified the complex, providing direct access for pilgrims between the Vishwanath temple and River Ganga.

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“As the pilgrim numbers are expected to become larger at these popular spiritual centres, the UP police officials are here to see how we are managing about 80,000 footfalls on average daily into the Lord Venkateshwara temple,” Gopinath Jatti, chief vigilance and security officer, TTD told DH.

The devotee numbers go up to one lakh on special occasions and double during the annual Brahmotsavams. (The pilgrim inflow is low now because of the Covid-19 restrictions).

The hill shrine is regularly visited by VVIPs like the President, PM.

However, the temple has been free of any unwanted, untoward events like stampedes, threats, thanks to its multi-level checking, time-slotted and compartmental movement of pilgrims in the queue lines.

TTD security arrangement consists of close to 3000 CCTVs and about 3000 personnel including an Andhra Pradesh Special Police company and an anti-terror commando unit called Octopus. Another 1400 CCTVs are planned for installation soon.

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The TTD vigilance and security wing not only manages the famed Lord Balaji temple in Tirumala but over 50 devasthanam run temples in Tirupati and elsewhere.

“We have robust surveillance set up, with a state of the art command control centre. Our baggage scanning is on par with the standards in international airports. Our response to flutter or fire is also technology-based, in addition to the constant watch kept by our personnel,” Jatti said.

The UP team, which included two DIG and three SP level IPS officers, were given a PowerPoint presentation on TTD security on Wednesday. The team visited the Alipiri toll plaza, footpath entry points, Kalyana-katta (tonsure centres), anna prasadam etc complexes and examined the sanitation aspects too.

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