VIJAYAWADA: Four vehicles and a few barricades were damaged after several boulders rolled down Indrakeeladri, the abode of the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD), on Monday morning following heavy rainfall on Sunday night. No casualties were reported in the incident that was reported near the tonsuring hall.
According to temple executive officer (EO) Darbamulla Brahmaramba, the landslide happened around 10:30 am when a huge boulder, weighing around 50 tonnes, rolled down and crashed on the road. She said three earth movers were pressed into service to clear the debris.
Traffic restrictions were imposed in the surrounding areas to avoid untoward incidents. The debris was cleared after eight hours and officials are working towards restoring vehicular movement by Tuesday evening.
Incidents of boulders rolling down the hill have been reported in the past too. After a boulder fell on a shed near Mouna Swamy temple atop Indrakeeladri minutes before Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was to arrive at the Durga temple to offer silk clothes to Goddess Kanaka Durga during Dasara, the temple took up rockfall mitigation works on Indrakeeldri with Rs 4 crore.
“There is an urgent need to focus on the areas downhill. Measures will be taken to fortify the hill in regions that fall under the temple’s ambit,” the EO asserted.
Meanwhile, the incident has triggered panic among people living in the hilly areas of the city. They urged civic body officials to identify problematic locations and take steps to avoid untoward incidents.