VIJAYAWADA: With the annual Dasara festival just months away, officials from various departments, including police, fire department, revenue, intelligence, Octopus, and endowments, conducted a security audit at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri on Thursday.
The Durga temple in Vijayawada, the second-largest in the State after the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala, sees over 25,000 daily visitors, a number that rises to 40,000 during special occasions and rituals. During the nine-day Dasara festival, the temple attracts approximately 10 lakh devotees.
During the security audit, officials discussed enhancing security measures at the temple and its premises, with a primary focus on the sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess Kanaka Durga temple and the renovated Lord Malleswara Swamy temple. A comprehensive report on the security arrangements and necessary measures will soon be submitted to the Endowments Commissioner, who will use it to bolster security, according to the Endowments Department officials. They noted that the security audit is a regular process aimed at upgrading security standards at temples.
Officials conducted an extensive inspection of various areas, including queue lines inside the temple, Mallikarjuna Maha Mandapam building, the main entrance, ghat road, Kanaka Durga Nagar, bathing ghats, tonsuring hall, kitchen, prasadam counters, annadanam hall, and other key locations. Intelligence department officials assessed the duties performed by the private security agency Agile and Special Force police at the temple.
Durga temple executive officer (EO) KS Rama Rao said an expert team from all relevant departments thoroughly inspected the temple premises, focusing on security and other vital installations to ensure the safety of devotees and protect the religious site from any untoward incidents. “A final report on security enhancement will be submitted to the Endowments Commissioner for necessary action. Officials also recorded their observations, which will guide us on security improvements,” said the EO.