Tirumala, December 25, 2025 - The Alipiri checkpoint at Tirumala experienced significant congestion this past weekend as a massive influx of pilgrims flocked to the holy town for darshan of Lord Venkateswara. The confluence of the weekend with ongoing holidays led to extraordinary crowding, causing considerable delays and inconvenience for devotees.
The vehicle checking process at the Alipiri checkpoint, the primary entry point for vehicles heading to Tirumala, faced severe bottlenecks. This resulted in vehicles backing up for several kilometers, with wait times stretching to several hours. Devotees who had pre-booked tickets for darshan and various Sevas (rituals) were particularly affected, expressing concerns about potentially missing their allotted time slots.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the organization responsible for managing the temple and its related affairs, struggled to manage the heavy turnout. All compartments in the Vaikuntam Queue Complex were filled to capacity, and queues extended for as long as three kilometers.
To mitigate the situation, TTD arranged for the distribution of drinking water, milk, tea, and Annaprasadam (free food) in the queue lines. Srivari Sevaks, volunteers who assist with managing the crowds and helping pilgrims, were actively involved in distributing essentials and guiding devotees. Senior officials also supervised the arrangements, focusing on ensuring a timely supply of food and water to those waiting in the queues.
Despite these efforts, accommodation shortages added to the pilgrims' woes, with many forced to rest in sheds, office premises, and even on pavements. The Kalyanakatta centers, where devotees tonsure their heads as an offering, also experienced a heavy rush.
The Alipiri checkpoint has 45 Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel and 15 Vigilance staff stationed there. Some devotees have suggested that increasing the number of personnel at the checkpoint could expedite the checking process and reduce congestion.
The surge in pilgrims also led to a sharp increase in demand for Srivani tickets, with 3-4 times more devotees vying for the limited number of tickets available daily. Similarly, long queues were seen at the Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) token counters in Tirupati, where pilgrims waited for hours to secure their tokens.
TTD has appealed to devotees to cooperate with staff and volunteers, assuring them that all possible arrangements are being made to ease the pilgrim experience. While the crowds were expected to gradually recede, the situation highlighted the challenges of managing peak-season pilgrimage at one of the world's most visited religious sites.
