KHAMMAM: The first earthwork for the Godavari Pushkarams-2027 began in Bhadrachalam on Saturday, with the state government sanctioning `49 crore for bathing ghats and related infrastructure along the river.
District Collector Ankit and Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkata Rao performed a special puja at the site before priests conducted rituals and earthwork was taken up with a JCB, formally launching the preparatory works.
The collector said the works would be executed in three phases. The government has sanctioned `46.65 crore for the first phase, `1.75 crore for the second and `60 lakh for the third. All works are expected to be completed by March 2027.
The first phase will focus on bathing ghats in Bhadrachalam, followed by works at Parnasala in Dummugudem mandal and Mothe Pattinagar in Burgampahad mandal. The final phase will cover Chinnaravigudem, Ramanujavaram and Ramachandrapuram in Mulugu district.
The Pushkarams are scheduled for June-July 2027 along the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border. Venkata Rao directed officials to ensure adequate bathing ghats, toilets and other amenities for devotees.
He also called for ghat works in the border areas of Wazeedu and Venkatapuram.
The MLA said development and renovation works at Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple were also under way at a cost of Rs 351 crore. He directed the authorities concerned to complete all Pushkar-related works on schedule and asked the Roads and Buildings department to prepare a plan for a full-fledged service road along the Bhadrachalam bund.