Around eight to 10 crore people are expected to throng Rajamahedravaram and Kovvur during the Godavari Pushkaralu-2027, Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg told KV Sailendra in an exclusive interview.
Godavari Pushkaram is a major Hindu festival dedicated to the worship the River Godavari. It is celebrated once every 12 years in Rajamahendravaram when Jupiter enters the zodiac sign of Leo (Simha Rasi). This event holds immense religious significance, especially in cities and towns through which the River Godavari flows. With 32 months left for the 12-day religious event, the RMC chief elaborates on the plans that the civic body has formulated to develop bathing ghats and accommodation facilities for the pilgrims.
What plans have been outlined for the Godavari Pushkaram-2027?
Besides the RMC, nearly 17 departments will work together to ensure the smooth conduct of the 12-day fete. At least eight to 10 crore devotees are expected to throng Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur to take a holy dip in the River Godavari. Millions of pilgrims throng bathing ghats along the Godavari River and perform various rituals. We are mulling over plans to introduce online booking to visit bathing ghats, take holy dip and perform rituals to avoid heavy rush. Of the 21 bathing ghats, three ghats will be earmarked for VIPs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be adopted and CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor the pilgrim influx. A primary report on the conduct of the festival has been submitted to the State government. Once Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu takes the final decision, we will go ahead with the development activities.
Are there any plans to construct new ghats?
There are 17 bathing ghats in the city. We are planning to construct four new bathing ghats -- two at Kotilingala ghat and two at Gowthami ghat.
Have you finalised on a budget?
Nearly Rs 1,000 crore will be required for the festival. A sum of Rs 725 crore will be needed for developing ghats. Works will be taken up for river conservation, riverfront accessibility and connectivity, crowd management, and socio and religious amenities. Further, Rs 25 crore is required for beautification of the city and Rs 50 crore for the development of tourist sites. A timeline has been prepared to unveil the plan.
Can you elaborate on the security measures that will be taken for the fete?
Real time monitoring, crowd management, traffic management, public safety security, disaster management and five other systems will be interlinked and coordinated through integrated command control. We will extensively use IT, Artificial Intelligence and advanced technology to control systems to ensure security during the Pushkaram.
What arrangements will be made to accommodate the massive influx of pilgrims?
As many as 3,000 rooms are available in various lodges in the city. Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur cities have the capacity to accommodate the pilgrims. We are focussing on creating sustainable living spaces, while integrating efficient transportation and urban development. We will also study the homestay model in Kerala and try to execute the same in the city. Besides, a team will visit Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh soon.
Are there plans to widen Godavari Bund Road and to lay new roads in the city?
We have identified prominent road connectivity to East railway station, Morampudi-Lalacheruvu-Airport road, Bobbililanka to Vemagiri Godavari bund road and Gunduvari street road in the city. Road widening will be taken up at 23 stretches in the city.