BHUPALPALLY: Kaleshwaram witnessed a massive influx of devotees on Sunday, the fourth day of Saraswati Pushkaralu, as over 1.5 lakh pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh took holy dips at Triveni Sangam.
The holiday crowd led to severe traffic congestion along the five-kilometre stretch to Pushkar Ghat, with frustrated pilgrims expressing anger at the police for delayed vehicle clearance.
District Collector Rahul Sharma, along with Karimnagar Commissioner of Police Gaush Alam, Additional Collector Praful Desai and other officials, conducted an aerial inspection of the arrangements via a special helicopter sortie.
The team reviewed facilities at the ghats, including sanitation, road connectivity, tent city preparations, vendor stalls and security. The collector stressed the need for seamless coordination between departments to ensure a safe and smooth experience for pilgrims.
Rs 45K copter ride on offer
Sharma also announced a paid helicopter joyride service for devotees, offering an aerial view of Triveni Sangam, Kaleshwara temple and the surrounding forest. A booking counter has been set up near the helipad, with each ride priced at Rs 45,000.
Later, Sharma inspected Pushkar Ghat, the health camp and the lines at the Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy temple. He interacted with pilgrims and directed officials to ensure sufficient drinking water within the temple premises.
With the number of visitors expected to rise further, Sharma instructed the officials concerned to erect additional shaded structures and lay a temporary approach road to ease access to the ghats.