FACING RAIN GOD FURY: The parapet wall that caved in on Tirumala ghat road on Tuesday following heavy downpour.

TIRUMALA: Normal life was thrown out of gear in the temple town following torrential rain under the influence of a cyclonic storm.

On Tuesday, the temple town received more than 12 cm of rainfall. As a precautionary measure, TTD Special Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy ordered closure of the second ghat road from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

Landslips were reported at several places on the second ghat road.

The situation was worse on the first ghat road leading to Tirupati.

The parapet wall at the 24th curve on the ghat road collapsed due to the rain. The wall along with steel railings caved in for a stretch of 8 metres on the dangerous curve.

Traffic disrupted

The TTD deployed security and vigilance personnel along with engineering officials to regulate vehicular traffic.

Traffic, which was temporarily disrupted on the second ghat road, was diverted through the link road. Following the heavy rain, three major dams — Papavinasanam, Akasaganga and Gogarbham — prime sources of drinking water to the temple town, are full.

Papavinasanam received copious inflows in last two days. With the dams overflowing, the TTD authorities lifted the crestgates of Papavinasanam and Akasaganga dams in the afternoon.

Officials alerted

The TTD alerted the district administration to gear up the machinery in villages downstream of Papavinasanam.

The revenue authorities of Kukkaladoddi and Mamandur in neighbouring Cuddapah district were informed of the release of water.

It is for the first time in about eight years that water-starved Tirumala has received adequate rain.

Tirumala-based Special Officer of the TTD A.V. Dharma Reddy, who monitored water levels along with Executive Engineer of water works Sudhakar, said that water stored in the three dams was sufficient to meet requirements of the temple town for coming two years.

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