Quagmire welcomes devotees at bathing ghats

Rajamahendravaram: The poor maintenance of bathing ghats along Godavari bund in the city is creating panic among the people. A swamp at the ghats is welcoming people who wish to take a holy dip in the Godavari during auspicious days.

The ghats were developed and repaired during Godavari Maha Pushkaram in 2015 by Water Resources Department (WRD), which is responsible to maintain bathing ghats properly.
But, on the directions of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, for the convenience of the people, the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation (RMC) is cleaning the ghats from time to time.

With this, officials of WRD purely kept aside the maintenance of bathing ghats at the cost of the people. Now it is a million dollar question either RMC or WRD own the responsibility of the bathing ghats.

Meanwhile, 23rd division Telugu Desam Party (TDP) corporator who participated in Jala Deeksha in River Godavari at Markandeya Ghat demanded that the WRD maintain ghat properly or close it immediately, as many are entering into death trap in the form of a quagmire located in that area.

Instead of repeated reminders, the officials of WRD were not responding in this regard, he alleged. The issue would be taken to the notice of WRD higher officials if the officials failed to respond immediately, he warned. The department would be held responsible if anything happen to the devotees and tourists visiting the place to take a dip, he added.