Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinarajappa is going to inaugurate the ‘Godavari antya Pushkaralu’ at the Saraswati (VIP) ghat at around 6 a.m. on Sunday, according to Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA. District in charge Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao is expected to take part.
Municipal, revenue, and police officials have made arrangements for the 12-day event.
East Godavari District Collector H. Arun Kumar has said that there are 15 important ghats in the district, from Vadapalli, Muktheswaram in Konaseema to Munikoodali in Seethanagaram mandal, and that all have been kept ready for devotees.
“We are expecting not more than one lakh devotees per day in the entire district on the first and last three days,” he said, and added that the footfalls would be more in Rajamahendravaram in view of better connectivity and accessibility.
He said that local people would take the holy dip on the first and last two days.
Meanwhile, the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation brought bio-toilets on rental basis and also arranged shower bath at Kotilingala and Pushkara ghats for the convenience of those who can’t take a dip in the river.
Work on barricading on roads had been completed. RCM Commissioner V. Vijayakumar Raju and Urban SP B. Rajakumari inspected the arrangements on Saturday.
In the morning, a trail run was organised at the Kotilingala ghat and ghat incharges had taken position between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
