Online ticketing launched for Simhachalam Chandanotsavam
Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, along with Social Welfare Minister and district in-charge Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, on Saturday launched an online portal for booking tickets for the annual Chandanotsavam of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, scheduled to be held on April 20. The Endowments Minister purchased the first ticket.
Temple authorities said online ticket sales for the public will commence on April 13.
The portal was unveiled during a coordination meeting held at the Collectorate to review festival arrangements. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, District Collector M. Abhishikt Kishore, and MLAs P. G. V. R. Naidu and Ch. Vamsikrishna Srinivas, along with heads of various departments, was present.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ramanarayana Reddy said a ministerial sub-committee had been constituted to oversee major temple festivals, including Chandanotsavam. He said the District Collector had been appointed Special Officer, while the Endowments Commissioner would serve as in-charge Special Officer for this year.
He said 75–80 per cent of the preparatory works had been completed. Regular darshan will be stopped from 7 pm on April 19 to facilitate temple rituals. From 1 am on April 20, the first darshan will be offered to hereditary trustees and the family of Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, followed by the presentation of silk offerings on behalf of the government.
Special arrangements are being made for devotees, including separate darshan slots for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Tickets will be issued through a slot-based system, and devotees have been advised to adhere to their allotted timings. About 70–80 per cent of tickets will be issued online, as per the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Five queue lines, each with a capacity of around 21,000 devotees, are being arranged, along with holding areas to regulate crowd movement. QR codes will be printed on tickets and vehicle passes to facilitate easy access to parking and route information. Protocol and VIP tickets will be issued under the supervision of the District Collector.
Arrangements are also being made to provide drinking water, buttermilk, milk, and biscuits to devotees, with support from temple authorities and voluntary organisations. Trained volunteers will assist devotees throughout the festival.
The Minister said CCTV cameras, along with AI-based systems, will be used to monitor crowd movement, and hourly footfall reports will be submitted to the government.
Ms Anitha urged officials to strictly follow standard operating procedures and improve arrangements based on previous experience. She also directed them to be prepared for contingencies such as unseasonal rains by setting up sturdy shelters, pandals, and tents.