The Endowments Department is finding itself in a piquant situation in gearing up to meet the accommodation needs of pilgrims poised to descend on Bhadrachalam, the abode of Lord Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy, in hordes during the 12-day Godavari Pushkaralu set to begin on July 14.
Bhadrachalam, situated on the banks of the Godavari, has limited accommodation facilities. The temple administration has around 27 cottages, four choultries of 140 rooms and other meagre accommodation facilities at its disposal, according to sources.
Although there are a little over 40 private lodges, the accommodation facilities available in them cannot cater to the needs of pilgrims. Most of the cottages were constructed with funds from the donors long ago. The ambitious plan to construct new cottages and choultries with the support of donors at Purushothapatnam hit a roadblock, post-bifurcation. An overwhelming number of cottage donors have reportedly written letters to the temple authorities in the last couple of days requesting the officials to allot cottages to them during the ensuing Godavari Pushkaralu.
Incidentally, the Endowments Department personnel manning the cottages and choultries have reportedly expressed their helplessness in providing accommodation to the staff of other departments including police personnel to be deployed in large numbers during the 12-day festivities next month.
This has prompted the officials concerned to search for function halls and other private accommodation facilities in and around the temple town for their staff. The donors are entitled to use the cottages for 45 days in a year and as such their pleas for accommodation facility during the Godavari Pushkaralu in the temple town will be honoured in compliance with the norms, said Rajender, Assistant Commissioner, Endowments Department, Khammam.
The available rooms will be allotted to the pilgrims under the current booking system on first-come-first-serve basis. Plans are afoot to provide temporary sheltersaround the Midhila stadium.
