CHENNAI: When it comes to south India’s booking list to famous temples, Tirupati Balaji is no match for the local deities in TN. As the booking demand for Tirupati is always double or triple when compared to other pilgrim centres in the State, TTDC sources admitted that Tirupati has been an evergreen destination for devotees, particularly from the greater Chennai region.

Cashing in on Lord Balaji’s popularity with devotees, the tourism department had reached out to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam seeking 1,000 tickets daily. Currently, 150 people visit Tirumala through TTDC bookings from Chennai and this will be scaled up to 1,000.

Tirumala tours will now be extended to across the State with special focus on Tier 1 cities including Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchy. In the case of southbound tours, it will be a two-day event with a transit stop at Tirutani.

When contacted, Chandramohan, secretary, HR & CE, confirmed that the tour operations for Tirupati will be increased by 10-fold based on the response. “We’re extending the tour operations by roping in State Express Transport Corporation buses. Both AC and non-AC buses will be used besides the TTDC fleet,” the official said.

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