Tirupati : In their effort to make elaborate and prestigious arrangements for Maha Sivaratri Brahmotsavams in Srikalahasti, a high-level meeting was held to review the progress of works on Saturday. Tirupati district in-charge Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, Endowments Minister Anam Ram Narayana Reddy, district Collector Dr S Venkateswar, SP V Harshavardhan Raju, MLA Bojjala Sudheer Reddy and others reviewed the arrangements with officials. It was also attended by Endowments Commissioner Ramachandra.

The ministers provided strategic directions to the authorities to ensure smooth execution of the festival arrangements. Minister Satya Prasad directed the officials to ensure hassle-free darshan experience for devotees, emphasising the necessity for meticulous planning due to the anticipated surge in visitors before and after Maha Sivaratri. Special instructions were given for effective coordination among Revenue, Police and Endowments departments. Measures for managing VIP darshans, preventing misconduct by temple staff and expediting pending land acquisition for bypass roads were discussed.

Endowments Minister Ram Narayana Reddy emphasised the Chief Minister’s vision for grand spiritual celebrations across the State. He announced free distribution of laddus, water bottles, and baby food for women with infants in queue lines. Moreover, from February 24-26, every female devotee visiting Gnana Prasunamba Devi temple will receive traditional offerings including blouse pieces, turmeric, kumkum, and bangles.

Security arrangements will be strengthened with drones, 400 CCTV cameras, and a centralised control room for surveillance. A special GPS-based tracking system will be introduced for children under 14 to prevent them from getting lost in the crowd. February 27 will be dedicated to local devotees, offering them free darshan and refreshments. Collector Dr Venkateswar assured complete execution of directives, including road repairs around Giri Pradakshina area and coordination with tourism authorities. Arrangements at the historic Gudimallam Temple were also discussed. Efforts to prevent superstitious practices like child marriages in rural areas during the festival were highlighted, with dedicated teams deployed for vigilance. With an estimated 8-10 lakh devotees expected, QR code scanning will be implemented for darshan tokens, and additional buses will be arranged.

MLA Sudheer Reddy expressed gratitude for the positive response from ministers and officials towards local concerns, urging the government to allow free darshan and laddu prasadam for Srikalahasti residents. He also suggested deploying night-vision drones for crowd monitoring. SP Harshavardhan Raju assured comprehensive traffic and crowd management, sufficient medical camps, hospital tie-ups and adequate volunteer deployment. He reiterated the use of drones and a control room for real-time surveillance.