Uploaded on 2020-04-05 by DASARI ROOPA

Tirupati: Situated in the Tirumala hills of Andhra Pradesh, it is one of the most visited places in India and probably the world. Shri Venkateshwara Temple receives around 65,000 pilgrims each day. On special occasions this number rises to about 5 lakhs. Given its importance, the temple was selected as one of the 100 iconic sites in India as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship mission – the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – to be cleaned up and international standards of cleanliness implemented. To achieve this status, the Tirupati Devasthanam has dedicated itself to ensure this shrine stays spotless round the year. The major hurdle in doing so is making sure that the roads leading to the temple stays clean and safe. With tens of thousands of visitors flocking in everyday, most touching base at Tirupati before driving off to Tirumala or trekking the seven hills to reach the temple town, it is this route that requires maximum attention. “Any litter or waste that we find anywhere, we have to pick it up and discard. Cleaning is important to us” says Kalpana, a sweeper at the Tirupati Railway Station. Rajeshwari, who has been cleaning the bus stands and the nearby