An Air India flight left Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam officials in tension for some time after the flight flew over the shrine on Saturday. Air India flight 541 (an Airbus A 321) carrying 170 passengers was flying from Tirupati to Delhi via Hyderabad and was spotted by the temple officials flying over the shrine around 3 pm. Tirupati is not a no-flying zone but flights avoid flying over the shrine due to security concerns.
The TTD officials immediately reported this to Renigunta officials who came up with an explanation. They confirmed that the pilot has sought permission from them due to bad weather to turn to the right direction after crossing five nautical miles. Accordingly, permission was given and the flight was seen flying over the holy shrine.
However TTD officials are not at all happy in the wake of threats of terror strikes in Tirumala. TTD authorities since then are putting pressure on the central government to declare Tirupati as no flying zone but nothing moved after that. TTD officials are now gearing up to press their case once again with the new government.
