Tirumala is set to receive 25 additional electric buses from Reliance, expanding the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ electric fleet to 38 and strengthening free public transport for devotees in the hill town.
The expansion is intended to reduce vehicular pollution, lower conventional fuel use and improve access to transport within Tirumala. It could also reduce devotees’ dependence on private taxis, an issue linked in the report to overcharging by some taxi operators.
The buses are being provided by Reliance as part of its support for the TTD’s electric mobility initiative. The company will also provide 50 drivers and establish a charging station, reducing the direct financial burden on the temple administration. The new buses have been brought to the charging station on the Tirumala Ring Road.
TTD currently operates 13 electric buses across three shifts: 5 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 9 pm and 9 pm to 5 am. These buses make more than 300 trips each day, covering approximately 6.5 km per trip and serving 20 bus stops across Tirumala.
According to transport officials cited in the report, the current service frequency is one bus every two minutes, compared with one every 10 minutes earlier. Each bus carries around 200 passengers during a trip, with devotees boarding and alighting at different stops along the route.
The additional buses are expected to increase the capacity of the service substantially. The report says the expanded fleet could make about 250 trips per shift, or approximately 750 trips a day, ferrying thousands of devotees. The precise operating pattern and final deployment schedule will determine how that projected capacity is realised.
Tirumala’s transport system serves a concentrated and highly variable passenger demand generated by temple visits, accommodation movements and daily circulation within the hill town. In that setting, a frequent, fare-free internal bus service can limit the need for short private-vehicle journeys and help manage congestion on the hill roads.
The shift to electric buses also addresses the environmental cost of high-volume visitor movement. Apart from eliminating tailpipe emissions during operation, electric buses produce less operating noise than conventional buses, a feature considered suitable for a temple town where passenger movement continues through the night.
The TTD has not announced a separate fare change because the service is described as free public transport for devotees. The immediate operational questions are expected to include the timing of the fleet rollout, charging capacity and the allocation of buses across the existing three-shift system.
The buses are expected to be inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to present silk robes to Lord Venkateswara for the Salakatla Brahmotsavams. The inauguration and subsequent deployment will establish when the expanded electric service becomes available to passengers.
