Venkatagiri (Tirupati District): Arrangements are in full swing for the famous Poleramma Jatara in Venkatagiri of Tirupati district, to be celebrated on a grand scale from September 7 to 11. The centuries-old festival, recently accorded the status of a State festival, is expected to draw huge crowds of devotees. The state government has released Rs 40 lakhs for the conduct of the festival through the Endowments Department.

District Collector Dr S Venkateswar has directed officials from all concerned departments to work in close coordination and ensure a peaceful, hassle-free darshan for devotees.

At a review meeting held on Wednesday in Venkatagiri, the Collector instructed officials to ensure meticulous arrangements covering queue management, control rooms, traffic regulation, parking, police bandobast, medical camps, ambulance services, drinking water supply, uninterrupted power with backup generators, fire safety, barricading, sanitation, public toilets, transport facilities, help desks, and public announcement systems. Municipal authorities were asked to strengthen sanitation and drinking water supply, while the electricity department was directed to guarantee continuous power.

MLA Kurugondla Ramakrishna assured that all arrangements are being made with collective effort to facilitate smooth darshan. He said only Rs 300 special darshan and free darshan queues would be arranged, avoiding unnecessary VIP interruptions, so that ordinary devotees face no inconvenience. Ticket rates have also been reduced compared to previous years, he added.

SP V Harshavardhan Raju said comprehensive security measures are being planned, including CCTV surveillance and real-time monitoring through a control room. Parking and crowd management will also be strictly implemented to prevent congestion.

Gudur Sub Collector Raghavendra Meena noted that all departments are working in coordination to ensure the Jatara is conducted smoothly and on a grand scale. The meeting was also attended by Municipal Chairperson Nakka Bhanupriya, MPP Tanuja Reddy, AMC Chairman Viswanath, DSP Geetha Kumari, District Endowments Officer Ramakrishna Reddy, Municipal Commissioner Venkatarami Reddy, and others.