The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : SCR’s package trip to Tirumala soon

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Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

SCR’s package trip to Tirumala soon

S. Sandeep Kumar

The offer includes darshan at Tirumala and Alivelu Mangapuram, accommodation, board and travel

The Lord Balaji temple in Tirumala

HYDERABAD: Here is some good news for those planning to have a darshan of Lord Balaji at Tirupati. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) is proposing to operate packaged trips to Tirumala shortly.

The offer includes darshan at Tirumala and Alivelu Mangapuram, accommodation at Srinivasam Complex at Tirupati, boarding and road transport to the Seven Hills and Alivelu Mangapuram in a non-air conditioned vehicle. IRCTC is offering such trips (excluding darshan) to Shirdi since four months.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has agreed to allocate some special seva tickets (like Archanaanathara Darshanam) and regular darshan throughout the year, excluding during Brahmotsavams and other special occasions, informed IRCTC’s South Central Zone Group General Manager G. Laxminarayan.

The trips are likely to be operated in two packages. One will include journey to Tirumala and Tirupati and the other would be to Tirumala with Sri Kalahasthi, Kanipakam, Chandragiri Fort etc.

These would be ideal for pilgrims since they don’t have to bother about the nitty-gritty of darshan, food and accommodation, also saving a lot of time.

IRCTC representatives would stay along with the pilgrims, explained Mr. Laxminarayan.

These trains would be likely operated on weekdays from Vijayawada, Secunderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and on a weekly basis from Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi. The modalities are being worked out to fix the fare, types of services and the locations from where pilgrims can book tickets. By the first week of April, the trips would be on offer, he said.

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