With just a week to go for the Dasara festival, the roads leading to the Kanakadurga temple are being spruced up. The temple authorities have taken up barricading works. But, the devotees are sceptical about the completion of the arrangements in time given the pace of works.
The two crucial junctions—Arjuna veedhi and the Ashoka Pillar area—that lead to the temple are dug up for constructing pillars of the Kanakadurga flyover. The entrance to Arjuna veedhi is filled with soil making access difficult. Usually, the open space on this stretch of road is used to park temple buses and set up prasadam counters during the festival.
The road close to the ‘Model Guest House,’ which has now turned into the Command Control Centre (CCC), is also in a bad shape as construction works are going on.
Already, the ‘One Town’ area is witnessing heavy vehicular traffic as the road near the temple is congested due to flyover construction works. This raises concerns about the safety of devotees.
Also, the government is yet to decide on key issues of the festival. After the police said ‘no’, at the coordination committee meeting, to use the Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam for entry and exit of the devotees, the temple authorities began barricading works. There is a proposal to organise the celestial boat ride up to Punnami ghat from Durga ghat. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is yet to decide on increasing the duration of teppotsavam (celestial boat ride).
The temple has asked the RTC to spare a few buses which are used from Alipri to Tirumala. The temple authorities feel that it will be easy for transportation of devotees from the railway and bus stations to Indrakeeladri, but the RTC has not yet responded.
The temple authorities are planning to press ‘winger’ vehicles if the RTC does not approve the proposal.
Will meet deadline, says Executive Officer
When contacted, Temple Executive Officer A. Suryakumari said the arrangements would be in place by September 28. The temple would replicate the arrangements made for the recent pushkarams. The temple was expecting more than 18 lakh devotees during the 11-day festival, she said, adding, “we are making all arrangements for a hassle-free darshan.”
Barricading, the formation of queues, annadanam, water supply, ghat road electrification, cloakrooms, chappal stand, toilets, and temporary dressing rooms are some of the arrangements that are being made for the benefit of devotees.
The temple also plans to ply bus services from the railway and bus stations to the bathing ghats and Vinayaka temple on Canal Road. A free bus from Ashoka Pillar to Indrakeeladri would also be operated for the benefit of physically challenged and aged persons.
