Although the civil works including construction of rest houses, changing rooms and laying of roads from
the mandal headquarters to the bathing ghats at Tadapakal for the conduct of pushkaralu to the Godavari are moving at a snail’s pace the authorities are confident of completing them by the stipulated date June 30.
Five bathing ghats one each at Savel, Gummiryal and Domchand and two at Tadapakal (in addition to the old one) were planned and they are nearing completion. However, the reverse osmosis (RO) plant for drinking water and ramp construction to enable the physically challenged to take a safe dip in water are yet to be completed. The 20-kilometre-long road laying work is getting delayed due to the negligence of contractor and also the rains. “I am unsure of its completion by the time of beginning of Pushkaralu on July 14. With the delay in work, residents and cattle are facing problems to walk down”, deplores the sarpanch Lolam Lavanya Chinna Reddy. Initially authorities were sceptical about the availability of sufficient water in the river for the 12-day event. But, the early monsoon and intermittent rains have given hope for overcoming the shortage. Water has already reached the first step of ghats and there will not be a problem, says the sarpanch.
This time about 15 lakh people are expected to arrive at bathing ghats at five places during the 12-day event and this is more than double the number of devotees who arrived for pushkaralu in August 2003. Separate electric transformers are also being built for the mega event to ensure uninterrupted supply.
According to Ch. Sreekanth, Junior Engineer (Irrigation) and pushkar ghat in-charge, arrangements are on for the smooth conduct of pushkaralu as the State Government has taken it as a challenge. Except road works and some structures like rest houses at Gummiryal and Tadapakal all arrangements are over, he says. Another major challenge before the authorities is regulation of vehicular traffic and their parking. As of now, parking lots are not earmarked though 17 have been sanctioned to the district.
a. Civil works including construction of rest houses, changing rooms and roads to bathing ghats at Tadapakal for the conduct of pushkaralu to the Godavari are moving at a snail’s pace
b. Bathing ghats at Savel, Gummiryal and Domchand, and two at Tadapakal are nearing completion c. Reverse osmosis (RO) plant for drinking water and ramp to enable the physically challenged to take a dip in the water are yet to be completed.
d. Separate electric transformers are also being built for the mega event to ensure uninterrupted supply.
