VIJAYAWADA: City Security Wing (CSW) officials on Tuesday convened a meeting with Goddess Kanaka Durga temple administration and asked them to beef up security at Indrakeeladri in the wake of recent Sri Lanka serial blasts and Uttar Pradesh temple stampede.
The meeting held at the temple’s administrative office on Tuesday was chaired by temple Executive Officer V Koteswaramma, DCP (law and order) Venkata Appala Naidu, ADCP (traffic) Madhav Reddy, CSW ACP Chenchu Reddy, Special Branch ACP KVSN Murthy and ADCP (law and order) L Chandrasekhar.
During the meeting, the CSW officials suggested that temple officials procure metal detectors, CCTV cameras, luggage bag scanners and door frame metal detectors for strengthening security arrangements at the hill shrine. The temple EO informed CSW officials that the temple witnesses a footfall of 35,000-45,000 devotees on normal days whereas the number rises to 60,000 in weekends and festive days. To this, the CSW officials advised the temple authorities to arrange checkpoints near the queues and restrict use of mobile phones and bags inside the sanctum sanctorum.