The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has launched the Venkatadri app to help pilgrims navigate Tirumala, locate essential facilities and access emergency support, with offline navigation and an AI-powered voice assistant among its key features.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu virtually launched the mobile application on Monday. Developed by the TTD, the app maps more than 350 locations across 25 facility categories, including drinking-water points, hospitals, medical centres, parking areas, public toilets, bus stops and darshan entry points.
Pilgrims can use voice commands to search for facilities and receive guidance around the clock. The app is designed to work even in areas with weak or unavailable internet connectivity, an important feature for visitors moving through crowded and unfamiliar areas of the Tirumala pilgrimage complex.
The mapped facilities also include luggage centres, free footwear-deposit centres, food outlets and canteens, room-allotment counters, pilgrim help desks, TTD offices, sub-enquiry offices, Kalyana Kattas, police stations and vigilance offices. The app also covers temple surroundings, shopping complexes and the Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex.
Venkatadri provides one-touch access to emergency contacts, the police and the TTD helpline. It displays bus routes and timings, while its “Mark My Spot” function allows users to save their parking location or another important place and navigate back to it. These features are intended to reduce the difficulty of finding services across a large pilgrimage destination where visitors may be unfamiliar with local routes and facilities.
The application is available in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The TTD is also developing kiosk access for pilgrims who do not have smartphones, extending the service beyond app users.
According to the TTD, the initiative is intended to provide devotees with convenient access to directions and essential information and support a more comfortable darshan experience. Additional Executive Officer Sri Ch Venkaiah Chowdary and NRI philanthropist Sri JP from the United States explained the app’s functioning to Naidu after the launch.
