Tirumala nets Rs 9 cr on New Year

Tirumala, Jan 1 (UNI) Around 75,000 to 80,000 devotees had darshan of the Lord at Sri Venkateswara Temple here on the New Year Day today with the hundi collection touching Rs nine crore, Temple Joint Executive Officer G Balaramaiah said here today.

Denying the number was less than the previous year as it did not fall on a holiday, Mr Balaramaiah said for the first time in temple history, 'Sarva Darshan' for common pilgrims was allowed from 0220 hrs.

To provide for easy darshan to the common pilgrims, protocol passes were restricted with only 540 passes issued to VVIPs. All Arjitha Sevas were cancelled today, he added.

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