Special facilities set up for holy dips at bathing ghats

Hanumakonda: With just three days remaining for the commencement of the Medaram Maha Jatara, the Telangana government has put in place elaborate arrangements to ensure a smooth and safe experience for nearly 1.5 crore devotees expected to attend one of Asia’s largest tribal festivals. To facilitate holy dips at the JampannaVagu from January 28, the Irrigation department has undertaken extensive works, surpassing arrangements made during previous Jataras. Special measures have been taken to maintain adequate water levels from Reddigudem through JampannaVagu up to Chilakalagutta. As part of this effort, 29 infiltration wells in the JampannaVagu have been desilted to improve water flow and storage.

In addition to renovating existing bathing facilities, the department has installed submersible pumps in infiltration wells and laid new pipelines to ensure uninterrupted water supply. A total of 348 battery-operated (BoTs) have been installed along the river stretch, along with 119 dressing rooms for devotees. Nine cross bunds have also been constructed to maintain a uniform water level at the bathing ghats. Repairs to ghat steps have been completed, and continuous chlorination is being carried out to prevent water contamination. Overall, works worth nearly Rs 50 crore have been executed by the Irrigation department to support bathing and sanitation facilities during the Jatara.

Given that the MedaramJatara is held in the dense forest region of Tadvai mandal, the Forest department has implemented special measures for environmental and forest conservation. Steps have been taken to prevent forest fires, regulate vehicle movement through sensitive forest zones, and protect forest wealth. Parking facilities have also been developed in identified vacant forest areas to minimise ecological damage.

Meanwhile, the Electricity department has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power supply throughout the Jatara period. A total of 911 electric poles and 196 transformers have been installed, along with 67 kilometres of new electric lines. Power supply facilities have been extended to 43 parking areas, and 350 additional personnel have been deployed for round-the-clock maintenance.

The department has readied 11 kV and 33 kV substations in the Jatara area and erected six watch towers at locations where high-tension lines cross the JampannaVagu. Special emergency teams have been stationed at 50 locations, while patrolling teams have been deployed along the Tadvai–Pasra route to ensure safety.