Temples in Karimnagar, Warangal Closed for Lunar Eclipse

Karimnagar/Warangal: Several prominent temples across the erstwhile Karimnagar and Warangal districts were temporarily closed to devotees on Sunday, with all regular rituals suspended due to the lunar eclipse occurring on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.

The total lunar eclipse is scheduled to begin at 9:56 pm on September 7 and conclude at 1:24 am on September 8.

The famed Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada was closed at 11:25 am on Sunday, after conducting early morning rituals and pujas at both the main and sub-temples. Temple authorities stated that it would reopen at 3:45 am on Monday after purification rituals (Samprokshanam) and morning puja, allowing devotees to resume darshan.

Similar closures were observed at other popular temples, including the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Dharmapuri (Jagtial district) and the Sri Bhadrakali Devi temple in Warangal. These temples were closed at 1 pm on Sunday following Abhishekam, Arati, and Mantrapushpam ceremonies. Temple officials announced that they would reopen at 5 am and 7 am respectively on Monday, with darshan available from 9:30 am onwards after completing post-eclipse rituals.

Other famed temples, such as Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple at Kondagattu (Jagtial district), Sri Mukteeshwara Swamy temple at Kaleshwaram (Jayashankar Bhupalpally district), Sri Rudreshwara Swamy temple at Ramappa (Mulugu district), and the Thousand Pillar temple in Hanamkonda, were also closed on Monday in observance of traditional practices associated with the celestial event.

Nalgonda: Former minister and BRS MLA G. Jagadish Reddy claimed that the police in Telangana are acting under political influence. He urged the state government to address the ongoing urea shortage crisis immediately and to refrain from filing cases against those who share videos of farmers waiting in line for urea.

Speaking to the media in Suryapet on Sunday, Jagadish Reddy criticised the Congress government for failing to provide justice to farmers, citing the recent urea shortage as a prime example of this failure. He specifically condemned the Suryapet police for taking action against a BRS leader who posted a video on social media showing the long queues for urea. Jagadish Reddy emphasised that the police should focus on maintaining law and order rather than acting at the behest of ruling party leaders. He advised police officers to perform their duties impartially. Furthermore, he stated that BRS members, who have a history of participating in the Telangana agitation and have faced imprisonment, do not fear these false charges.

Warangal to get new ring road to beat traffic woes

Warangal: The Centre has identified Warangal as one of the cities with a population under five lakh that will receive a new ring road to ease growing traffic congestion. The project is part of a national plan to build 34 new access-controlled ring roads across India. The initiative aims to improve highway speeds, which have slowed significantly within city limits.

The proposed Warangal ring road will be a greenfield corridor designed for high speeds of 100 and 120 kmph. It is expected to ease the severe traffic jams that have become increasingly common in Warangal and other smaller cities — a problem once associated mainly with large metropolitan areas such as Delhi.

The Union ministry of road transport and highways has sought cooperation from the Telangana government to fast-track the project. States are expected to contribute financially, either by sharing project costs, covering land acquisition expenses, or through land pooling, as they are considered the biggest beneficiaries of such infrastructure developments.

The Union ministry has also suggested that highway construction could help tackle solid waste challenges. Municipal dump sites located near upcoming projects may be tapped to provide waste materials for use in road embankments.

Temples in Nizamabad shut for lunar eclipse

Nizamabad: Due to the lunar eclipse, all temples overseen by various committees and the endowment department were closed in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts on Sunday. This included popular temples in Nizamabad, such as Sri Neela Kanteshwara, Madhavnagar Saibaba, and Sarangapur Hanuman Mandir. Additionally, the ongoing Janda Balaji Jatara at Jandagally village was also required to conclude on Sunday because of the eclipse. The temples will reopen for darshan on Monday after performing special rituals.

Free health camp held for BC hostel girls

Warangal: A free medical camp was organized by the Organization for Backward Classes (OBC) at the Government Girls Hostel in Bheemaram of Hanamkonda district on Sunday. The camp provided health check-ups, including gynecological, thyroid, dental, and general examinations, to 130 hostel students. Free medicines were also distributed.

Former KUDA chairman and OBC president S. Sundar Raj Yadav inaugurated the camp as the chief guest. He highlighted that even after 70 years of independence, backward class communities continue to face challenges and lag.

He assured support for talented students from BC communities and pledged assistance in resolving hostel-related issues. He also announced plans to conduct similar large-scale health camps in other BC hostels across the district. He encouraged students to draw inspiration from historical figures like Chakali Ailamma and Doddi Komuraiah in pursuing success.

Sundar Raj thanked the team of doctors, including Dr Megha, Dr Asha Devi, Dr Mohan Krishna, Dr Shruthika, Dr Harish Yadava, Dr Shanthan, and Dr Soumya, for their services.

Shabbir Ali’s convoy hits divider, none hurt

Kamareddy: Advisor to the state government Mohammed Ali Shabbir’s convoy met with an accident in Kamareddy on Sunday. A speeding car suddenly came across the convoy, and while trying to avoid it, Ali’s bulletproof vehicle hit the divider and got damaged. No one was injured in the accident. Shabbir was travelling with a convoy of ministers to participate in a preparatory meeting on 42 per cent reservations for BCs.

In the process, Shabbir Ali’s vehicle hit the divider and sustained damage.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and four lives were saved due to the driver’s quick response.