VIJAYAWADA: Rocks rolled down from Indrakeeladri, the abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, on Wednesday afternoon injuring at least three persons and blocking the road. The incident happened just an hour before the scheduled visit of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to the temple to offer silk robes to the presiding deity on the auspicious occasion of 'Moola Nakshatram' during the ongoing Dasara Navaratri festivities.
With incessant rains during the past few days, the Indrakeeladri has been witnessing landslides. As the number of devotees visiting the famous hill temple is picking up, authorities have erected iron meshes to stop landslides and also put up danger boards warning people from entering the danger zones.
Devotees were stopped at the foothills in view of the scheduled visit of Chief Minister to the temple, averting a major mishap. The landslide partially damaged the media point put up near the temple, while some workers standing near it suffered minor injuries.
They were shifted to the medical camp set up on the hilltop. Work is on to clear the boulders from the ghat road as the Chief Minister is scheduled to visit the temple. Officials said the restriction over the entry of devotees in view of the COVID-19 pandemic also averted a mishap. The temple is allowing a limited number of 10,000-odd devotees who have booked tickets online to have darshan during the Navaratri festivities.