Officials review Chandanotsavam arrangements at Simhachalam
District Collector M. Abhishek Kishore and Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi inspected the arrangements for the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Chandana Utsavam at Simhachalam temple on Thursday. The festival is scheduled for April 20. They reviewed preparations on site and also instructed officials to tighten crowd management and safety measures for the annual event.
During the inspection, the Collector assessed readiness and directed officials to ensure smooth and hassle-free darshan for devotees. He emphasized stronger queue line management. In addition, he suggested deploying experienced staff from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and the Vijayawada Kanaka Durga temple to manage the expected rush. He also asked officials to ensure the proper functioning of the QR code-based entry system. For this, temple staff, GVMC personnel, and technical teams must coordinate closely.
The Collector also ordered adequate temporary shelters so devotees stay protected from the sun and rain. Moreover, he instructed officials to clearly mark emergency exits with proper signage. He directed strict monitoring of bus movement from the foothills to the hilltop temple. At the same time, authorities must maintain heightened vigilance at pick-up and drop points. He also asked for separate waiting areas for VIPs to reduce congestion. Furthermore, officials should complete inner temple darshan within one hour to maintain time-bound access.
He further directed an uninterrupted drinking water supply across the venue. In addition, he asked for medical teams at key locations for quick response. He stressed effective use of volunteer services as well. Meanwhile, sectoral officers must coordinate from the command control room for real-time monitoring. He also said officials should certify all infrastructure works, including queue lines, pandals, electrification, and engineering arrangements, only after thorough safety checks.
The Collector also called for CCTV surveillance along with AI-based monitoring to manage crowd flow better. Moreover, he suggested special arrangements at prasadam counters to avoid overcrowding. Officials must inspect duty areas in advance and ensure clear signage with continuous public address announcements. In addition, newly built foot overbridges should open only after full safety clearance. He also instructed teams to repair faulty wiring and strengthen barricades.
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg, DCPs Mary Prasanthi, Manikantha Chandolu, and Latha Madhuri, Temple Executive Officer Venkatarao, and other officials attended the inspection.