Rajamahendravaram: EastGodavari District Collector Kirti Chekuri directed all departments to work in coordination with a comprehensive plan for the successful conduct of Godavari Pushkaralu in 2027.

She held a review meeting with officials from various departments at the Collectorate here on Friday on the preparations and infrastructure arrangements.

The Collector said that there are currently 65 bathing ghats spread across the Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur constituencies covering 2.7 kms.

Plans are being made to extend and newly construct ghats covering an additional 1.95 kms, taking the total length to 4.7 kms.

Officials from Police, Irrigation and Municipal Corporation departments gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the preparation works. The collector said around six crore devotees are expected to take the holy dip during Pushkaralu. She instructed officials to focus on key aspects such as basic amenities, crowd management, transport, accommodation, food, medical services, and sanitation.

Traffic and disaster management plans must be implemented scientifically, she stressed. To reduce congestion, alternative road routes will be prepared for vehicles coming from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Khammam regions to prevent them from entering the city. Pilgrim vehicles will be diverted to parking zones on the outskirts and shuttle buses will be arranged to transport devotees to the ghats.

The Collector estimated that around two lakh visitors may arrive daily by train and around 25,000 by buses during the event. Proposals are being made to widen 25 major roads, including those near the east railway station, airport, Katheru, Morampudi–Saraswati Ghat, and Kotilingala Ghat.

Vacant lands in the city will be identified to set up temporary accommodation, parking zones, food distribution centres, and cultural activity areas. Special ghats will be arranged near national highways and the airport for VIPs, along with exclusive facilities for elderly people, women, and persons with disabilities. Irrigation officials informed that developing the flood bank road from Dowleswaram to Seethanagaram will help ease traffic pressure on the city. As the event is likely to occur during the monsoon season, all plans must factor in flood-related precautions, the Collector advised.

District SP D Narasimha Kishore, RMC Commissioner Rahul Meena and other senior officials attended the review meeting.