Kurnool devotees struggle to visit Singotam temple

Nandyal: Eighteen years after the tragic boat accident on January 18, 2007, devotees from Kurnool district continue to face hardships in reaching revered Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple (Singotam Jatra) at Kollapur in Telangana a state.

The incident claimed lives of 61 devotees, and the lack of a bridge at Somasila or Siddheshwaram has left their aspirations unfulfilled.

Devotees eager to attend the temple’s Rathotsavam (chariot festival) are disheartened as boat services remain banned, leaving them uncertainty about alternative routes.

Located in Singotam, Kollapur mandal of Nagarkurnool district in Telangana, the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple attracts thousands of devotees, particularly from Kurnool. On Jan-uary 18, 2007, a country boat carrying 61 devotees from Kurnool capsized in the Krishna river. All aboard drowned, and several bodies were recovered in a decomposed state after two days, with some being buried on-site.

The government had then promised to erect a memorial at Muruva Konda Burujula and construct a bridge across the Krishna River at Somasila with a budget of Rs.120 crore. Surveys were conducted for both projects, but neither has materialized, leaving devotees disappointed.

Each year during the Pushya Masam, the temple’s Brahmotsavams draw thousands of pilgrims. Crossing the Krishna river remains the easiest route, prompting many to rely on boats.

However, the government’s ban on boat services has left devotees struggling to reach the temple, particularly during the current Brahmotsavams from January 14 to 20.

The Central government has proposed construction of a suspension bridge over the Krishna river at Somasila Sangameshwaram, sparking hopes among locals.

Such a bridge would not only ease travel for devotees but also strengthen connections between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It would also reduce the distance between Hyderabad and Tirupati by 150 kilometre.

Previously, motorboats used to ferry 2,000–3,000 devotees annually to Singotam from Nehru Nagar, Telangana’s Chellapadu, and Manchalakatta ghats.

However, with current restrictions, devotees are urging the government to take immediate action to restore boat services and ful-fil long-standing promises of infrastructure development.

The government has deployed police and revenue departments to see none of the devotee take boats or other means of transport to reach Singotam on the other bank of Krishna river.