The city police have announced a number of restrictions on movement of vehicles on certain roads in view of Maha Sivaratri and Rathotsavam. The restrictions will be in force from 10 p.m. on Feb. 11 to the evening of Feb. 12 and again from 1 p.m. on Feb. 13. Traffic diversions and restrictions on movement of vehicles between Sitaramapuram and Ramavarappadu on Eluru road are already in force for the three-day Gunadala Matha festival till Feb. 11. The police said on Tuesday restrictions were necessary because a large number of people were expected to reach various ghats of the Krishna for a holy dip in the river. The devotees would later have a darshan of goddess Kanakadurga and Malleswara Swamy on Indrakeeladri and may also visit Vijayeswaralayam. On Feb. 13, the decorated chariot containing the deities of the goddess and her consort will be taken out in a procession from Ratham centre to Vinayaka temple and back on Canal road. Hence, no vehicle would be allowed from Kummaripalem to Prakasam barrage and Gaddabomma on Canal road. City buses going from Bandar road and Eluru road to One Town and vice-versa would not be allowed to go up to city bus terminal. Buses coming either from Gollapudi or Police control room side would be diverted via Jojinagar, Sitara junction, Kabela, Milk project, Chittinagar, VG chowk, King plaza, Panja centre, Goods shed road, Bus terminal and Low bridge. All the vehicles coming from Tadepalli on Prakasam barrage would be diverted at Sitanagaram towards Kanakadurgamma vaaradhi.
Diversions, which were usually known to drivers of long-distance heavy vehicles, have been imposed for those moving from Chennai to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Chennai, Hyderabad to Kolkata, Kolkata to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Vijayawada and Vijayawada to Hyderabad.
The police also earmarked some places for parking of cars, mini buses and other motor vehicles (except two-wheelers) for the convenience of those coming for a holy dip in the Krishna. Those coming from Hyderabad side or Mylavaram would have to park their cars, mini buses and other vehicles either at Bhavanipuram lorry stand, TTD site at Kummaripalem or the vacant places at Punnami ghat or Bhavani ghat.
Devotees coming from Eluru, Guntur and Machilipatnam would have to park their vehicles at PNBS site opposite Padmavathi ghat or the vacant space on the eastern side of Rajiv Gandhi park. For two-wheelers and cars coming from nearby places of Vijayawada, parking provision has been made at a few places. Those coming from Bhavanipuram and Ibrahimpatnam and intending to take a dip at Punnami ghat or Bhavani ghat, TTD site at Kummaripalem should be used for parking of their vehicles. The devotees coming from Guntur, Machilipatnam and Eluru for a dip at Durga ghat, Krishnaveni ghat and Pushkar ghat, two-wheelers and cars should be parked at Nimra college site at Gaddabomma or Gandhiji Municipal High School or Kaleswara Rao market cellar.
