VIJAYAWADA: Chief Secretary K Vijayanand has directed officials to begin detailed planning for the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams, scheduled from June 26 to July 7, 2027.
Chairing the Secretaries’ Committee meeting at the State Secretariat on Friday, he emphasised that as this was the first preparatory meeting, departments must immediately draw up action plans to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.
The Chief Secretary instructed that micro-level planning be undertaken district-wise, ghat-wise, and department-wise.
He noted that the number of devotees expected in 2027 will be double compared to 2015, with nearly 9–10 crore pilgrims anticipated, and therefore robust arrangements must be made.
Collectors were asked to form district committees, appoint Joint Collector-level officers as special in-charges, and prepare detailed project reports covering bathing ghats, drinking water, sanitation, transportation, medical camps, security, crowd and traffic management, and emergency services.
Vijayanand said the Godavari river flows through six districts — Alluri Sitarama Raju, Eluru, East Godavari, Kakinada, West Godavari, and Ambedkar Konaseema—and adequate facilities must be created at bathing ghats across these districts.
He stressed coordination among departments including Endowments, Irrigation, Revenue, Police, R&B, Municipal Administration, Panchayat Raj, APSRTC, Railways, Tourism, I&PR, Disaster Management, and Fire Services.
He also directed IT and RTGS to prepare technology solutions for real-time crowd monitoring.
Drawing lessons from the Maha Kumbh Mela and previous Pushkarams, he instructed officials to plan for peak days with double the estimated crowd and to set up temporary tent cities at Rajamahendravaram, the main centre of the 12-day river festival.