HYDERABAD: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya on Tuesday directed officials to make foolproof arrangements for the Medaram jatara, scheduled to be held from January 28 to 31.
She said the government was expecting around three crore devotees to visit the jatara this year, compared to 1.5 crore in 2024. Along with Minister Adluri Lakshman Kumar and Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, she chaired a review meeting at the Secretariat.
Anasuya said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had approved Rs 251 crore for the jatara, including Rs 150 crore for arrangements and Rs 101 crore for restoration of sacred platforms (gaddelu). Priority was being given to smooth darshan, with all departments instructed to work in close coordination.
She said a state-level WhatsApp coordination group involving departmental secretaries and heads of departments would be formed for continuous monitoring. Special focus would be on sanitation, drinking water, transport and security, with additional toilets to be set up across the Jatara area.
The administration is preparing for a footfall of up to 40 lakh devotees per day, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. She recalled that the chief minister had been visiting the Medaram Jatara annually since 2010 and had, for the first time, sanctioned funds aimed at the region’s long-term development.
Adluri Lakshman Kumar said the government aimed to conduct the Jatara on par with major national religious congregations and stressed that arrangements should be completed without scope for lapses. He added that the entire Council of Ministers was closely monitoring the preparations.
Govt likely to declare holiday
Hyderabad: The state government is likely to declare a holiday for Sammakka Sarakka jatara this year, recognising the scale and significance of the world’s largest tribal congregation held at Medaram in Mulugu district. Though the jatara was accorded a state festival status in 1996, no formal holiday has been announced so far.
The move comes as the state gears up for Sri Sammakka-Saralamma Medaram Jatara 2026, scheduled from January 28 to 31, which is expected to attract nearly three crore devotees from Telangana and neighbouring states. According to officials, declaring a holiday would facilitate smoother participation of devotees, reduce administrative strain, and improve crowd management during the peak days of the four-day festival.