Godavari Pushkarams: SP calls for comprehensive action plans

Rajamahendravaram: East Godavari district Superintendent of Police D Narasimha Kishore has directed all concerned departments to prepare comprehensive action plans well in advance for the smooth conduct of Godavari Pushkarams-2027, with a focus on providing better transport facilities, foolproof security and efficient traffic management.

An inter-departmental coordination meeting was held at the district police office under the chairmanship of the SP, with officials from Railways, APSRTC, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Transport, Revenue, Tourism and Municipal departments. Representatives of the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) and Ernst & Young (EY) also participated.

The meeting discussed arrangements for the movement of pilgrims, transport facilities, crowd management at railway stations, traffic regulation, parking facilities and the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities during the Pushkarams.

The SP asked railway officials to examine the feasibility of providing separate entry and exit arrangements at the East and West railway stations in Rajamahendravaram and submit clear proposals based on ground-level conditions. He also suggested exploring special train services connecting Rajamahendravaram, Kovvur, Bhimavaram and other important places in a circuit-based system. Arrangements should also be made for pilgrims arriving by train and returning by bus. Special attention should be paid to crowd management at Godavari railway station and other major stations.

APSRTC officials were asked to study the best transport practices followed during major religious events such as Sabarimala and Kumbh Mela. They should prepare detailed plans covering bus routes to Pushkar Nagars, shuttle services, fleet requirements, timings and frequency. Bus schedules should be coordinated with train arrivals to prevent a sudden increase in vehicle movement within the city.

The SP instructed NHAI officials to monitor vehicle movement at all toll plazas through CCTV cameras and provide live traffic data to the command and control room. Proper signboards and advance announcements should be arranged at road cuttings and diversion points. Proposals should also cover adequate lighting, road widening, cranes, towing vehicles and emergency logistics near Pushkar Nagars. The Transport Department was asked to compile comprehensive data on two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers registered in Rajamahendravaram as well as vehicles registered across the State.

The Revenue Department was directed to constitute micro-level joint teams comprising representatives of Revenue, Police, Endowments, Roads and Buildings and APSRTC within four days. These teams should conduct field inspections and submit reports on road conditions, parking areas, lighting, transport facilities and other infrastructure requirements.

A stations on the outskirts of the city to prevent congestion caused by vehicles queuing up for fuel. Vehicles supplying essential commodities should be issued special identification cards, with designated timings for entering the city.

Additional SP (Administration) Patil Devaraj Manish, Probationary Deputy Collector Manoj Reddy, Railway RPF Inspector B Raju, APSRTC Depot Manager K Madhav, NHAI Project Director B Krishnamurthy, City Planner GVSN Murthy, CUMTA member Ravishankar, EY team members Siddharth and Rohit, police personnel attended the meeting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deekshitula Subrahmanyam

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Deekshitula RV Subrahmanyam is a Staff Reporter with The Hans India, covering the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts, along with Alluri Sitarama Raju and Polavaram districts. A journalist with experience of over three decades, he began his career as a Telugu mofussil reporter in 1991. He writes extensively on politics, tribal affairs, rural development, tourism, development, and human-interest stories He is the author of the six-part Telugu prose Ramayana Sitarama Kathasudha and has received several literary and journalistic honours, including the JCI Young Writer Award, Vadlamudi Rammohan Rao Memorial Award and Madduri Annapurnayya Memorial Award.

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