Tirumala Srivani Ticket Irregularities: YSRCP Demands Probe

The YSR Congress Party has demanded a high-level inquiry into alleged irregularities in the sale of Srivani tickets, accusing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) online booking system of enabling large-scale corruption.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy alleged that the newly introduced online system for Srivani ticket sales has created ample scope for middlemen to exploit devotees by selling tickets at exorbitant prices.

He claimed that all 800 Srivani tickets are getting sold out within just over a minute, raising serious suspicions about manipulation of the booking system. According to him, the tickets are later being sold in the black market for nearly Rs 15,000 each through brokers.

Karunakar Reddy alleged that the scam involves officials from the Vigilance and IT departments, along with members of the TTD Board. He said the YSRCP has repeatedly flagged irregularities in the online booking methodology but no corrective measures have been taken.

“In just four months, nearly Rs 48 crore has allegedly been looted through this system,” he claimed, accusing certain officials and intermediaries of colluding to divert tickets away from genuine devotees.

He further alleged that despite TTD’s claims of upgrading its software, the tickets are still not reaching ordinary pilgrims and are instead being routed through middlemen who are making huge profits.

The former TTD Chairman also targeted the appointment of the current IT in-charge, alleging that the individual was handpicked despite lacking the required qualifications. He claimed the official had earlier been involved in a Rs 30 lakh fraud linked to Srivari Kalyanotsavams conducted abroad.

“During our government, a case was booked against him. But instead of recovering the money, the coalition government rewarded him with the post of GM (IT) after introducing the new technology,” he alleged.

Karunakar Reddy questioned why no security audit was conducted for the new software system and asked why the auto-filling feature was allegedly restricted only to Srivani tickets instead of being extended to other TTD services.

Demanding a probe by a national-level security nodal agency or the CBI, he said an independent inquiry was necessary to uncover how the system was manipulated and identify the beneficiaries behind the alleged scam.

He maintained that the previous YSRCP government had ensured high standards of security and transparency in ticket distribution, but claimed that the coalition government altered the system, resulting in chaos within four months.

He also alleged that even break darshan tickets are now being sold openly, which, according to him, reflects the deteriorating governance standards within TTD.