Maha Shivaratri Festival Preparations Begin at Jogulamba Temple
The Jogulamba Bala Brahmeshwara Swamy Temple in Gadwal is preparing for a grand Maha Shivaratri celebration from February 25 to March 1. To ensure the festival runs smoothly, District Additional Collector Lakshmi Narayana has instructed officials to complete all necessary arrangements.
A preparatory meeting was held on Friday at the Collector’s office conference hall. The meeting was attended by the temple Executive Officer (EO), the Tahsildar, the Municipal Commissioner, police officials, and representatives from the health, electricity, and roads & buildings departments.
Measures for Devotee Convenience
During the meeting, the Additional Collector stressed the importance of making the festival a hassle-free experience for devotees. He directed officials to set up extra counters for distributing prasadam, improve queue management, and arrange free food distribution (annadanam). Special facilities should be provided for differently-abled devotees, and CCTV cameras should be installed around the temple for security.
Security, Sanitation, and Traffic Control
The police department was asked to implement strict security measures at Pushkar Ghat to prevent any untoward incidents. Special arrangements will also be made for VIP visitors, ensuring proper security and protocol.
Municipal Commissioner Chandrasekhar Rao was instructed to focus on sanitation, drinking water supply, and street lighting to maintain cleanliness and hygiene throughout the festival.
Medical, Transport, and Fire Safety Arrangements
To provide uninterrupted medical services, the health department will set up a 24-hour medical camp near the temple. Additional RTC buses will be arranged on major routes to accommodate the large number of devotees, and necessary road repairs should be completed before the festival begins.
To prevent accidents at Pushkar Ghat, trained swimmers will be stationed for emergency rescue operations. Adequate parking, barricading, and queue management systems will be put in place to regulate the crowd effectively.
The meeting was attended by RDO Srinivasa Rao, Temple EO Purendar, Tahsildar Manjula, Municipal Commissioner Chandrasekhar Rao, police officials, and other concerned authorities.
