Suryapet: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy participated in the Peddagattu Jatara at Durajpally in Suryapet district on Monday, offering prayers at the Lingamantula Swamy temple and taking part in religious rituals.

On his arrival, Uttam was welcomed by the temple committee and honoured with traditional offerings. Participating in the Bhairi (Bhery) drumming ceremony, he later performed special prayers at the temple. He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for sanctioning Rs 5 crore for the smooth conduct of the festival.

Speaking to the media, Uttam emphasised the significance of the Jatara, which has been celebrated since the 16th century.

He directed officials to ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience and personally inspected drinking water facilities, sanitation, medical assistance, security, and power supply.

With an estimated 20 lakh devotees expected, the authorities have implemented traffic diversions on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway to prevent congestion.

Heavy vehicles have been restricted around the Jatara venue, and additional police personnel and surveillance cameras have been deployed for crowd control.