VISAKHAPATNAM: Vizag City is all set to host the International Yoga Day celebrations on RK Beach Road here on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, other ministers, officials, celebrities, and citizens from the North Andhra districts are expected to attend the mega event.
As a prelude to International Yoga Day, the State government launched the Yogandhra initiative on May 21, aiming to make yoga accessible to everyone. Over the past month, yoga training sessions were conducted across the state, drawing participation from people across various sections of society.
The concluding event of Yogandhra will take place simultaneously at thousands of locations across the state. As part of this, a mass yoga demonstration involving approximately 5 lakh participants is planned along the Visakhapatnam coastline on Saturday, with an attempt to set a Guinness World Record.
The event will be held along a 26-km stretch from Kali Mata Temple on RK Beach Road to Bheemunipatnam, with participants performing yoga throughout the route. Around 326 compartments have been set up, each supervised by a gazetted officer.
Each compartment includes yoga instructors, 3 demonstrators, 10 volunteers, medical staff (ANM and ASHA workers), a police officer, Guinness record verification representatives, sanitation workers, and supervisors. Approximately 1,438 yoga performers, including 907 instructors, will oversee the event.
The state government has made elaborate arrangements for the mega event, including 4,280 mobile toilets, lifeguards, 104 emergency vehicles, and temporary 5-bed hospitals every 5 km. Additionally, 326 Wi-Fi charging points and 335 LED screens have been set up at various locations of main event.
Around 9,995 vehicles, including 7,295 buses, 2,500 auto-rickshaws, and 200 maxi cabs, will transport participants from different areas. Seventy-five parking zones have been established, with return pick-up points arranged at the same drop-off locations to avoid confusion for the participants.
Amenities such as drinking water, one toilet for every 100 persons, stretchers, first-aid kits, snack boxes, yoga mats, and T-shirts will be provided and can be taken home. LED screens and sound systems have been installed, and disinfection spraying will be carried out three times to repel insects. To strengthen security, around 10,000 police personnel will be deployed for the event.
Along the 26-km coastline, 18 sports grounds will also host yoga demonstrations, including Andhra University Ground, Chinnagadili Golf Club, PM Palem Cricket Stadium, Kommadi Stadium, Fort Stadium, Railway Exhibition Grounds, and Swarna Bharati Indoor Stadium, among other venues.