Eluru: District collector K Vetri Selvi said that the Bale Ramalingeswara Swamy Maha Shivaratri festivities should be organised in a coordinated manner by the officials of all departments at Balive village of Musunuru mandal from February 25 to 27.

She conducted a review meeting with the officials of various departments at the Bale Ramalingeswara Swamy Devasthanam and discussed the festival arrangements.

Speaking at the meeting, collector said special queue lines should be set up for darshan through Rs 100 and Rs 25 tickets besides free darshan. Shower baths should be installed at the bathing ghats, and a special site for the Pinda Pradana should be made. Special changing rooms should be installed for women, floodlights should be installed at the ghats, in the temple and in the surrounding areas. As part of the security arrangements for the devotees taking bath at the ghats, help desks should be set up at the temple and at the RTC bus stand. Drinking water, buttermilk and milk would be distributed by donors and government departments. The specific places for this purpose should be decided in advance and distributed without any hassle. She said that there should be two medical camps, two ambulances, emergency personnel, medicines and doctors to provide emergency medical services to the devotees.

She advised that tight security should be established in collaboration with the Revenue, Police and Endowment departments and arrangements should be made to ensure that traffic is not disrupted anywhere.

Collector instructed the officials to issue identity cards to the priests performing the Pinda Pradanam and to ply buses in good condition without causing traffic jams at the bus parking lot.

After the meeting, Collector Vetri Selvi, along with the officials, inspected the arrangements at the bathing areas and gave appropriate instructions on precautions. Nuzvid Sub-Collector Smaran Raj, Eluru District Endowment Assistant Commissioner CH Ranga Rao, Devasthanam EO Pamarthi Seetharamaiah, Tahsildar K Raj Kumar, MPDO G Rani, SI M Chiranjeevi, CI Ramakrishna, DLPO Sundari, PHC Medical Officer Dr Shakeela Evangeline, and officials from various departments participated in the meeting.