AP Govt releases 231 cr for bathing ghats

Vijayawada: The State government has intensified the preparations for Krishna Pushkaralu, which were slated to begin from August 12. The government on Friday, released Rs 231 crore for three districts to prepare bathing ghats along the river for the people to take holy dip during the 12-day event. The Krishna district was given Rs 142 crore followed by Rs 65 crore for Guntur and Rs 24 crore for Kurnool district to prepare bathing ghats with necessary infrastructure.

Minister for Water Resources, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao announced that the amount would be spent exclusively to develop the existing bathing ghats and also locate new ghats keeping in view the number of pilgrims visiting the river for holy dip.Meanwhile, the officials are racing against time to keep the road ready for the Pushkaralu. The road is blocked for the Kanakadurga Flyover which was taken up by the government to clear the traffic problems on Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway.

Though the flyover may not be completed by August, the officials want to clear the debris and other material and keep the road ready for the pilgrims. The work to expand the road into the river by a few feet is likely to be completed. MP Kesineni Srinivas, who took up the long pending demand for the flyover, told The Hans India that they would keep the extended road ready for the pilgrims. “There would not be a problem for the movement of the pilgrims during the 12 days of the pushkarams,” he asserted.