Elaborate arrangements for Dasara

VIJAYAWADA: Elaborate arrangements are being made at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri for the annual Dasara festivities giving top priority for common devotees visiting the temple during the festivities, said the district collector G Lakshmisha.

A high-level coordination review meeting was held at the new conference in Maha Mandapam on Saturday evening.

NTR district collector Lakshmisha chaired the meeting, attended by Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), Vijayawada West MLA Y Satyanarayana Chowdary (Sujana Chowdary), CP SV Rajashekhara Babu, VMC Commissioner HM Dhyanachandra, Joint Collector Ilakkiya, temple trust board chairman Borra Radhakrishna (Gandhi) and EO VK Seena Naik.

During the meeting, the officials said the number of devotees is expected to increase significantly this year and directed all departments to work in close coordination to ensure hassle-free arrangements. Drinking water, milk, biscuits and annaprasadam would be supplied regularly at queue lines, while foot-over bridges would be erected wherever required to regulate crowds.

The CP said Matrix 4D drones would be used for continuous aerial surveillance, along with advanced digital surveillance and an automated public address system.