The Rajahmundry Urban Police are on their toes to make the Godavari Pushkarams, scheduled to begin from July 14 along the bank of Godavari River, a hassle-free affair. Brain-storming sessions are on, with the police top-brass busy in meticulous planning, to ensure smooth regulation of the expected huge crowd and the vehicular traffic as well. As many as 3.5 crore pilgrims are expected to take part in the mega event. For administrative convenience, the city including its 11 ghats along the Godavari river has been divided into 11 zones, each comprising three to four sectors. These sectors include 16 traffic zones and 11 crime detachments. According to Urban SP S. Harikrishna, the road between ILTD junction on the Dowleswaram side and Kotilingala Revu near the AP Paper Mill has been declared as “no vehicle zone”. All the traffic coming towards Konthamuru will be stopped at Rajiv Gandhi Degree College. Vehicles entering Rajahmundry from Vemagiri (on the NH5 coming from Vijayawada and Palkol) will be allowed up to ILTD junction. about the difficulties faced by visitors, particularly the elderly, in reaching the ghats, the SP said that free RTC buses would be operated from different parking slots to the open space at Railway Goods shed, from where Goutama Ghat and all other ghats are less than half a kilometre.
