Heavy bandobust for Dasara celebrations in Vijayawada

• 5,500 police personnel drafted for the nine-day festival which begins on Oct 10
• Drones will be sed for surveillance on queue lines, bathing ghats
• About 15 lakh devotees are expected to visit Durga temple during the nine days
• About 3 lakh devotees may visit the temple on Mula Nakshatram Day on October 14

Vijayawada: Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the nine-day Dasara celebrations which will begin on Indrakeeladri on October 10.

About 5,500 police personnel are drafted for the duty and drones will be used for surveillance at bathing ghats in Krishna river and queue lines on the ghat road and other places.

It is expected 15 lakh devotees may visit the temple during the festival for darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga.

Commissioner of Police Dwaraka Tirumala Rao speaking to reporters at his office on Saturday, said about 1,500 police personnel from Krishna district and 4,000 from other districts particularly north coastal Andhra will be drafted for the duty.

He said close vigil will be kept on the criminals and anti-social elements with closed circuit cameras and staff at important locations.

Tirumala Rao said special care would be taken to prevent stampede in the queue lines and regulate the rush of devotees on important days like Mulanakshatram.

He said NDRF teams and expert swimmers would be deployed on special duty at the bathing ghats.

He said drones will be used for the surveillance on queue lines and bathing ghats of Krishna river as lakhs of devotees are expected to take bath in the river during the nine days from October 10 to 18.

He predicted that 15 lakh devotees would visit the temple for darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga during the festivities.

He said about 70,000 devotees are likely to visit the temple during normal days and 3 lakh devotees on the auspicious day of Mula Nakshatram which falls on October 14.

He said Teppotsavaram will be organised on October 18. The Police Commissioner said the traffic will be diverted in some parts of the city to prevent congestion and police control rooms will be set up at three places, Model Guest House, Command and Control Room at Labbipet and atop Indrakeeladri near Durga temple.

He further said the ghat road will be used for reaching the temple as entry point and steps and lifts are used as exit points.

He made it clear that the devotees will not be allowed to enter the temple from either steps or lifts.

He said Bhavani Seva Dal volunteers will be roped in to serve the elderly people and physically challenged. He said the devotees can pass on information to WhatsApp number 7328 909090 to get help from the police.

He said display boards are kept at railway station, bus station, One Town Police Station, Bhavanipuram Police Station, Police Control Room and the Commissioner's office giving details of Dasara celebrations on Indrakeeladri, parking places and police control rooms etc.

Durga temple Executive officer V Koteswaramma, DCP (Crime) A Rajakumari and other officials were present.