Tirumala ghat road closed again following landslides

Tirupati(AP), Dec 1: The Tirumala Ghat road leading to the Venkateswara temple was shut again on Wednesday due to landslides in three places. The vehicular movement has been stopped after massive boulders fell on the stretch following rain-triggered landslides.

As per a temple official, a group of 20 devotees, who were on their way to the temple, had a narrow escape after the bus driver spotted rocks rolling down the hills. The driver's swift action to stop the vehicles saved many lives.

The dislodged rocks, some car-sized, have rolled down causing enormous damage to the road in many places, says a PTI report, stating its protection railings at a height of 1000 feet and 800 feet respectively on 20 km long extremely curled serpentine road.

The Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam officials flung into action to ensure that debris are cleared at the earliest.

However, the vehicles carrying pilgrims and APSRTC buses are allowed to ply on the old ghat road, amid tight precautionary measures. The devotees who could not get darshan despite getting tickets can get darshan on any day within 6 months.

Last month, the unprecedented rains lead to floods and landslides in the Temple Town and the ghat roads leading to the holy Tirumala Hills were shut for vehicular movement for three days.

While the protection wall on the first ghat road near Akkagarla temple was damaged due to landslips at four places on the road, the second ghat road saw at least 13 landslides at various places.