Collector Reviews Arrangements for Simhachalam Chandanotsavam
Special arrangements were also instructed for devotees holding ₹300, ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 darshan tickets.
Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam district collector M. N. Harendhira Prasad, along with Simhachalam Devasthanam executive officer J. Venkata Rao, on Tuesday inspected development works at the Simhachalam temple, being undertaken ahead of the annual Chandanotsavam scheduled for April 20.
The collector directed officials to complete all civil and construction works, including barricading arrangements, by March 31. He said priority should be given to facilitating darshan for ordinary devotees during the festival.
Referring to past incidents, he instructed officials to construct permanent shelters along the queue lines for the convenience of devotees and to ensure that technical personnel carry out safety checks well in advance.
General devotees will be allowed darshan from 3 am to 10 pm, while VIPs and VVIPs will be allotted time slots from 3 am to 5 am. Special arrangements were also instructed for devotees holding ₹300, ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 darshan tickets.
The collector emphasised the need for smooth movement of buses for devotees arriving from outside the district and adequate parking arrangements to avoid congestion during peak hours.
Stressing the ban on mobile phones within the temple premises, he asked police and volunteers to maintain strict surveillance, particularly during rush hours.
Officials estimate that around 1.2 lakh devotees are expected to have darshan during the festival.