Govt plans comprehensive facilities for Godavari Pushkaralu-2027

 Kakinada: Municipal administration and urban development minister P. Narayana on Saturday said the government would create comprehensive facilities for devotees across six districts during the Godavari Pushkaralu-2027 and prepare a detailed action plan for the event.

Accompanied by tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, district collector Kirthi Chekuri and senior officials, Narayana inspected arrangements from Kotilingala Ghat to Pushkar Ghat and reviewed the ongoing preparatory works.

Reviewing the arrangements with public representatives and officials, the minister said the coalition government had begun preparations a year in advance on the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.

The ministers reviewed works related to the Godavari riverfront, East Railway Station Road, drainage and sewerage infrastructure.

Narayana said the government was making preparations for the Godavari Pushkaralu, scheduled from June 26 to July 7, 2027, and that the Chief Minister had already held several review meetings with officials.

He said the irrigation, endowments, home, municipal administration, roads and buildings, and tourism departments were working in coordination. The minister said `585 crore had been allocated for infrastructure development in Rajamahendravaram, including roads, drainage, sewerage, drinking water supply and sanitation.

He said the government had initiated works well in advance in view of the expected increase in the number of devotees and that irrigation-related civil works would be expedited after the monsoon. He added that devotee safety would receive top priority.

Durgesh said the irrigation, municipal administration, panchayat raj, roads and buildings, endowments and tourism departments were coordinating preparations. He said an action plan incorporating enhanced safety measures had been prepared to prevent a recurrence of lapses witnessed during previous Pushkarams.

Durgesh said the Akhanda Godavari Tourism project was being developed to promote the Godavari river basin and that development of the Rajamahendravaram ghats was progressing. He said home-stays and tent cities would be established for devotees travelling from distant places and tourism infrastructure would be strengthened alongside temple tourism.

The minister said the government aimed to provide better facilities than during previous Pushkarams while ensuring transparency in the utilisation of funds. He added that Rs.100 crore had been released through the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board on the initiative of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

BJP MLC Somu Veerraju said efforts were under way to secure `250 crore for the development of the Left Main Canal through discussions with the Polavaram Authority.

Rajamahendravaram MLA Adireddy Srinivas said the allocation of Rs.580 crore for the first phase of Pushkaram works was a significant decision. He said he had reviewed underground cabling works by the Electricity Department, Endowments Department projects worth Rs.15 crore and the riverfront development project.

Rajamahendravaram MP Daggubati Purandeswari, Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, RUDA chairman Boddu Venkata Ramana and other public representatives attended the review.