Tirupati:
The sales of "Quick Darshan" tickets have raised Rs 117.22 crore for the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala in just one year, a top temple official has said.
During the last 12 months, about 39 lakh devotees have purchased the tickets, costing Rs 300, for speedy access to darshan, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's Executive Officer I Y R Krishna Rao told reporters Tirupati.
The tickets were introduced last year on October 21 to provide speedy access for darshan and curb the menace of middlemen.
Meanwhile, he said that the TTD has changed the name Quick Darshan to "Special Entrance Darshan".
Other than Rs 300 tickets, the temple management also offers Rs 50 darshan tickets.
According to sources, at least two crore devotees visit the cash-rich hill shrine annually.