Currently, there are no warning signs or safety alerts installed at the Pushkar ghats in Basar or at the confluence of the Godavari, Manjeera, and Haridra rivers in Kandakurthi.
NIZAMABAD: The absence of safety measures along the banks of the Godavari River has put the lives of devotees at risk, particularly at Basar and Kandakurthi. Within a span of one month, around seven individuals have accidentally drowned in the river.
Currently, there are no warning signs or safety alerts installed at the Pushkar ghats in Basar or at the confluence of the Godavari, Manjeera, and Haridra rivers in Kandakurthi.
On June 15, five youths from Hyderabad drowned while taking a holy dip in the river at Basar. Last month, two youths from Maharashtra also lost their lives in a similar manner. Basar has eight designated bathing ghats, but none of them are equipped with proper safety infrastructure or warning systems to alert devotees, resulting in repeated accidents.
Though bathing in the middle of the river is strictly prohibited, some devotees are drawn to the sandbanks midstream and venture in to bathe, exposing themselves to danger. The recent rains have increased the water flow in the Godavari, making it even more hazardous. Devotees from Telangana, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, especially from Hyderabad, visit Basar frequently for the darshan of Lord Gnana Saraswathi.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mohan, a resident of Basar, urged the police and endowments department to implement safety measures for the protection of devotees. “There are no signboards or flexes warning people about the water’s dangers,” he said. He also pointed out that during summer, devotees struggle to bathe due to mud accumulation at the ghats.
Over the past 10 years, around 127 deaths have been reported in Basar due to various causes. In light of recent incidents, Nizamabad Police Commissioner P. Sai Chaitanya visited Kandakurthi on Wednesday and directed officials to ensure the safety of devotees, particularly during the rainy season.
He instructed authorities to install barricades and ropes to prevent mishaps. Bodhan ACP P. Srinivas, Bodhan Rural CI D. Vijay Babu, and Renjal SI K. Chandra Mohan were also present during the inspection.
