TIRUPATI: The persisting uncertainty induced by the Covid-19 has pushed hundreds of small traders, hawkers and workers, operating at Tirumala to the brink.
In normal days, nearly one lakh pilgrims used to visit the abode of Lord Venkateswara every day, and all sorts and sizes of businesses were thriving before the pandemic struck. With the temple now completely closed to pilgrims for three months, thousands of small traders, hawkers and workers are plunged into financial distress. They are hard put to eke out a living and support families. Many migrated to Tirupati in search of livelihoods or labour.
After struggling to survive the last year as the pandemic broke out, they were pinning hopes on normalcy in the New Year when the second wave dashed their hopes. Vallam Seshaiah, who owns a fancy shop at Tirumala, now vends face masks and sanitisers in Tirupati. He says there were as many as 1,060 families in Balaji Nagar atop Tirumala. Apart from them, around 1,000…