Kanaka Durga temple rolls out Andhra Pradesh's first laddu ATM
The Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada has introduced Andhra Pradesh's first laddu prasadam vending machine on a pilot basis, with officials also warning devotees against fake puja tickets.
Devotees visiting the Kanaka Durga temple at Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada can now collect laddu prasadam from a self-service vending machine, paying by UPI much as they would at an airport snack counter. The machine, described by temple authorities as Andhra Pradesh's first such facility at a temple, was introduced on a pilot basis on Wednesday at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam.
Endowments Department Commissioner K. Ramachandra Mohan inaugurated the unit at the Central Information Centre at the foot of Indrakeeladri, near the start of Arjuna Veedhi. Temple chairman Borra Radhakrishna (Gandhi), Executive Officer V.K. Seena Naik and other temple officials were present.
The temple's Trust Board had approved the machines, which it termed 'laddu ATMs,' at its meeting on September 15. Sri Raj Computers & IT Solutions secured the contract at ₹6.95 lakh, a sum that covers five years of maintenance. The arrangement differs from the kiosks introduced at Tirumala in 2025 by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which issue tokens for additional laddus that pilgrims later collect at counters.
Speaking after the inauguration, Mr. Ramachandra Mohan said the facility was meant to spare devotees the wait at regular prasadam counters. The machine will function on a trial basis, and its performance will be reviewed before similar facilities are considered at other locations with heavy devotee footfall, he said.
The Commissioner also cautioned devotees against approaching unauthorised persons or intermediaries for darshan and puja tickets. Referring to a recent case involving fake puja tickets in Vijayawada, he said temple authorities had alerted the police and filed a complaint, with legal action under way against those responsible. Devotees should obtain temple services and tickets only through official government and temple websites and digital applications, or through authorised counters, and remain alert to touts, he added.
Preparations for the Dasara festivities at Indrakeeladri are also under way, Mr. Ramachandra Mohan said. A plan is being drawn up for devotees expected from across Andhra Pradesh and other States, with arrangements focused on crowd regulation, queue management, drinking water, prasadam distribution and security. Shelters to protect devotees from sun and rain are being arranged, along with continuous monitoring of the facilities, he said.