30 assistance centres to be set up along Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina route

With a week to go for the annual Giri Pradakshina of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam, the district administration has stepped up preparations for the event, which is expected to draw lakhs of devotees from across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring States.

District Collector Abhishikt Kishore, accompanied by Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg, Simhachalam Devasthanam Executive Officer Venkata Rao, APEPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Prudhvi Tej and heads of various departments, on Tuesday inspected the 32-km trekking route to review the ongoing arrangements.

Travelling by bus, the officials inspected the facilities from Lumbini Park, where devotees traditionally take a holy dip before commencing the trek. They also reviewed arrangements at MVP Circle, Isukathota Junction, Seethammadhara, Murali Nagar, the Marriott Hotel stretch, the National Highway, NSTL, Kumari Kalyana Mandapam and Tholi Pavancha. The inspection covered road repair works, installation of street lights, underground cabling and CCTV surveillance.

Mr. Kishore said 30 assistance centres would be set up along the route to help devotees. Senior officials from the Police, Endowments, Revenue and other departments would be stationed at these centres to address grievances promptly. In addition, six to seven regional control rooms would function during the event, while a central Command and Control Centre would be established at Hanumanthawaka to monitor the arrangements round the clock.

The Collector directed officials to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply, adequate sanitation facilities and medical services all along the route. Medical teams, ambulances and emergency response units would be deployed at strategic locations to handle emergencies, he said.

Anticipating a heavy influx of devotees, Mr. Kishore instructed the Police and Transport Departments to implement a comprehensive traffic management plan. Noting that participation in the annual pilgrimage has been increasing every year, he directed officials to closely monitor the works and complete all preparations well before the event.

Mr. Garg said the GVMC had prepared a special sanitation plan for the entire route and that continuous cleaning operations would be undertaken to prevent the accumulation of garbage. Drinking water, mobile toilets, street lighting, road repairs and medical camps would be provided at key locations, while GVMC personnel would remain on duty round the clock to ensure that devotees did not face any inconvenience.

He appealed to devotees and donors to make the event plastic-free by avoiding single-use plastic at annaprasadam and drinking water distribution centres. Dustbins should be placed at every stall to ensure proper waste management, he said, seeking the cooperation of all stakeholders in organising a clean and eco-friendly Giri Pradakshina.