Hyderabad: The Telangana government has intensified preparations for the Saraswati Pushkaralu Kaleshwaram festival scheduled from May 21 to June 1.
Ministers Konda Surekha and Duddilla Sridhar Babu said nearly 30 to 40 lakh devotees were expected to attend the event at Kaleshwaram.
They reviewed arrangements during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao at the Secretariat on Friday.
Endowments Department Principal Secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer, Energy Department Principal Secretary Navin Mittal, Women and Child Welfare Secretary Anita Ramachandran, Information Department Special Commissioner Mukund Reddy and IG Chandrashekhar Reddy attended the meeting.
Saraswati Pushkaralu Kaleshwaram to begin with holy dip
Minister Sridhar Babu said Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham seer Jagadguru Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati would inaugurate the Pushkaralu on May 21 at 5.43 am with a holy dip.
He said all government departments must coordinate closely to ensure smooth arrangements for pilgrims.
The Minister directed officials to focus on temple darshan management, sanitation at Pushkar ghats, traffic regulation and security measures.
Konda Surekha said the government aimed to conduct the festival successfully on the lines of the Medaram Jatara.
She stated that prominent seers from different peethams would participate in the Pushkaralu every day.
According to her, the government planned homams in the mornings and large-scale cultural programmes in the evenings.
Saraswati Pushkaralu Kaleshwaram arrangements expanded
Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao instructed officials to strengthen infrastructure and provide proper sanitation, transport, drinking water and protocol arrangements.
Shailaja Ramaiyer said only two lakh devotees attended the Saraswati Pushkaralu in 2012, while nearly 40 lakh people participated in the Adi Pushkaralu last year.
She said the event would include daily homams, harathi rituals at ghats, cultural programmes, Teppotsavam and large-scale pind pradanam rituals.
The Principal Secretary also confirmed that the Governor would participate in the holy dip on the opening day along with the Kanchi seer.
She added that the government would set up a special museum during the Pushkaralu.
Endowments Commissioner Hanumantha Rao said officials arranged guest houses, a 100-room choultry, tents at ghats and public address systems.
He added that the Transport Department would establish temporary bus stations and operate shuttle services.
According to officials, the Rural Water Supply Department would handle drinking water, sanitation, temporary toilets and solid waste management.
The Health Department would operate medical camps, ambulances and emergency teams during the 12-day event.
Police officials planned parking facilities, route maps, CCTV surveillance, watch towers, mobile connectivity and security arrangements for devotees.