Gadwal : Jogulamba Bala Brahmeshwara Swamy Temple is set to host the grand Maha Shivaratri festival from February 25 to March 1. To ensure smooth and successful celebrations, District Additional Collector Lakshmi Narayana directed the concerned officials to complete all necessary arrangements.

As part of this, a preparatory meeting was held on Friday at the Collector’s office conference hall, with the participation of the temple Executive Officer (EO), Tahsildar, Municipal Commissioner, police officials, and representatives from the health, electricity, and roads & buildings departments.

Measures for Devotee Convenience

During the meeting, the Additional Collector emphasized the importance of ensuring a hassle-free experience for devotees. He instructed officials to set up additional counters for the distribution of prasadam, streamline queue lines, and arrange for food distribution (annadanam). Special services should be provided for differently-abled devotees, and CCTV cameras should be installed around the temple premises for security.

Security, Sanitation, and Traffic Control

The police department was directed to implement strict security measures at Pushkar Ghat to prevent any untoward incidents. Special arrangements should be made for VIP visits, ensuring proper protocol and security.

Municipal Commissioner Chandrasekhar Rao was instructed to focus on sanitation, drinking water supply, and street lighting to maintain cleanliness and hygiene throughout the festival.

Medical, Transport, and Fire Safety Arrangements

To provide uninterrupted medical services during the festival, the health department was instructed to set up a 24-hour medical camp near the temple. Additional RTC buses should be arranged along major roads to accommodate the influx of devotees, and necessary road repairs should be completed promptly.

To prevent accidents at Pushkar Ghat, professional swimmers should be stationed for emergency rescue operations. Adequate parking, barricading, and queue management systems should be in place to regulate the crowd effectively.

The meeting was attended by RDO Srinivasa Rao, Temple EO Purendar, Tahsildar Manjula, Municipal Commissioner Chandrasekhar Rao, police officials, and other concerned authorities.