VIJAYAWADA: With just eleven days left for Bhavani deeksha viramana at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri, Krishna district Collector A Md Imtiaz has directed the officials concerned to make fool proof arrangements for avoiding inconvenience to the devotees thronging the hill shrine between December 18 to 22.
Imtiaz chaired a meeting at his camp office on Thursday which was attended by endowments, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), police, APSRTC and irrigation department officials to review arrangements for the annual event at the hill shrine.
Speaking about the arrangement being made for the deeksha viramana ritual, temple executive officer MV Suresh Babu said that anticipating devotee rush, the devasthanam has decided to cancel Anthralaya darshanam.
“We are making foolproof arrangements for the convenience of Bhavani devotees participating in the 8-km ‘Giri Pradakshina’ ritual before having the darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga. Control rooms will be set up at intervals of one kilometre to provide drinking water and medical facility to the devotees,’’ he informed.
Suresh Babu said that instructions were given to irrigation and civic body officials to ensure cleanliness and hygiene near Durga Ghat, where scores of devotees will take a holy dip before thronging the hill shrine. “50 additional buses will be operated from Vijayawada to Northern Andhra districts for the convenience of devotees,” he added.