VIJAYAWADA: With all roads leading to pushkar ghats in twin Godavari districts, vehicular traffic in Vijayawada has increased immensely on Sunday, as any vehicle on either national highway 5 and 9 has to pass through it.
Since Saturday morning, the inbound and outbound traffic had increased hour after hour and hour keeping the district administration on toes. With several officials deputed to Godavari Pushkaralu work in twin Godavari districts, the shortage of staff in the district has added to the woes of the remaining staff.
According to transport department officials, though there was traffic logjam on Saturday, the issue was resolved by Sunday morning and the traffic is moving easier than before.
“Pushkaralu related vehicles were being given priority and the goods vehicles on both directions of both highways are being detained at selected places to regulate the traffic. Since for stopping traffic on national highway, certain permissions have to be taken from the Ministry of Surface Transport, it took some time. Now that necessary permissions have been obtained, the vehicular traffic is being staggered at five to six places in Krishna district on NH 5 and being diverted to the ghats, where there is less crowd,” Krishna district deputy transport commissioner S Venkateswarlu, deputed to Kovvur, told Express.
According to him, compared to Saturday, the pilgrim rush to various ghats in Kovvur and other places has been equally distributed. “Today, there is no difficulty in movement of pilgrims to Pushkar ghats and they are having comfortable dip in the river and going back,” he said. Officials monitoring at control room set up in sub-collector’s office in Vijayawada are coordinating the movement of traffic, based on the feedback of pilgrim rush at different bathing ghats along the river in both Godavari districts.
Heavy pilgrim rush was witnessed at Goddess Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri Hill in Vijayawada with pilgrims who are going to Godavari districts for participating in Godavari Pushkaralu and those returning back making it a point to visit Durga temple and offer prayers. Long queues were witnessed at the temple.
According to temple officials, around two lakh pilgrims had visited Durga temple on weekend and in view of heavy rush Antaralaya Darshan was cancelled.
Heavy rush was also witnessed at both Vijayawada Railway Station and Pandit Nehru Bus Station.