Garuda Seva festival in Tirumala. File
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In a first of its kind in the country, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) approved a ₹2 lakh life insurance cover for pilgrims who die of natural causes in Tirumala, the amount to be paid to their families.The decision comes ahead of the annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara, as the temple administration prepares for a large influx of devotees. The board, chaired by TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu and attended by Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra, also raised the accident insurance for families of TTD employees who die in accidents in Tirumala from ₹3 lakh to ₹10 lakh.The board extended Employee Health Facility (EHF) benefits to retired CPS and NPS pensioners and their families on par with OPS pensioners, and approved salary enhancements for 48 SLPMC employees across TTD departments.With sanitation and crowd management assuming importance during the Brahmotsavams, ₹1.60 crore was sanctioned over three years towards transport charges for additional sanitation personnel. Proposals were also sent to the government for 400 additional outsourcing posts to augment laddu production during peak demand.The board approved an IOCL proposal for a biogas plant using food waste from Annaprasadam centres, canteens and hotels. Its operation and maintenance will go to GPS Renewables at a cost of ₹2.80 crore.For the Brahmotsavams, from September 15 to 23, the TTD has planned a buffer stock of 10 lakh laddus a day. Garuda Seva is expected to draw 15% to 20% more devotees than last year, and annaprasadam is to be served to 9.30 lakh devotees against 6.13 lakh last year.The festivities begin with Ankurarpanam on September 14, followed by Dwajarohanam on September 15. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will offer silk garments to Lord Venkateswara on September 15 and take part in the Pedda Sesha Vahana Seva.The board also approved gold-plating works at temples in Narayanavanam and Chennai, and extended by three years the licence of the TTD building housing the Telugu and Sanskrit Academies in Tirupati. Published - September 09, 2026 05:04 pm IST
