Proposal to restrict timings for two-wheeler traffic and for pilgrims who walk.
A new proposal is being mooted to restrict timings of two-wheelers and pilgrims on foot route on Tirupati - Tirumala - Tirupati ghat section due to steady rise in man-animal conflicts in this area which is surrounded by thick forests.
On June 16, a leopard attacked two women on the Tirumala ghat road. 13-year-old Pavani, along with her 21-year-old cousin Yamini were pillion-riding on two separate two-wheelers with their respective fathers. They were coming from Tirumala to Tirupati when a leopard attacked them. However, the leopard was made to retreat but the injuries on both Pavani and Yamini show it was close call.
This is not an isolated incident. On May 7, 2018, a leopard came under a speeding vehicle and lost its life on the ghat road.
The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department along with Security & Vigilance Wing of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Tirupati temple and its surrounding areas, and the local police are working on few plans for safety of both animals and humans. Every day, nearly 20,000 vehicles ply between Tirupati and Tirumala. Apart from vehicles, few thousand pilgrims take steps from Tirupati to Tirumala for Lord Balaji Darshan. The entire area is surrounded by thick forests which comes under Sri Venkateshwara National Park & Wild Life Sanctuary.
One of the main proposals is to curtail timings for plying of two-wheelers and pilgrims who are on foot. "We feel if we should restrict two-wheelers from 6 am to 7 pm and also for walking pilgrims the timings should be from 6 am to 6 pm because usually during daylight animals don't venture near human habitations,'' suggests Subba Rayudu, FRO (Forest Range Officer), Andhra Pradesh Forests Department, Tirupati. Presently, two wheelers are allowed from 4 am to 11 pm while foot route pilgrims are allowed from 5 am to 6 pm.
According to conservative estimates, there are around 25-35 leopards and 35 elephants in these jungles, apart from deer, sloth bears and other animals. "One of our proposals is to increase the number of signboards and awareness boards for those using ghat roads like wild animals presence spots, warning not to stray in the jungle apart from the designated path, speed restrictions, etc,'' says Gopinath Jetti, Chief Vigilance & Security Officer, TTD, adding pilgrims often throw food and plastic materials towards animals or try to feed them, which is not correct.
Efforts are also being made to rope in wild life experts for more tangible solutions.
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