(18 Jul) A galaxy of VIPs expected to visit the temple town Bhadrachalam (Khammam): The Friday rush at Bhadrachalam Pushkar ghats that al...
(18 Jul) A galaxy of VIPs expected to visit the temple town Bhadrachalam (Khammam): The Friday rush at Bhadrachalam Pushkar ghats that already crossed 2.13 lakh by 6 pm was an indication that the administration has a challenging task to deal with the devotees who would turn out on a gigantic number on the weekend. Thanks to the long weekend, Friday being a statewide bandh called by the Left Parties in support of Municipal workers' strike, followed by Saturday and Sunday, pilgrims do not want to miss the opportunity to have a holy dip in the Pushkaralu. With the news coming in from Hyderabad bus stations that all the buses bound to Telangana districts were packed to the brim, the district administration reportedly urged the ministers and the other VIPs not to head for Bhadrachalam on Saturday and Sunday as it could be a herculean task for them to provide security cover. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had asked Energy Minister G Jagadishwar Reddy to join another minister Tummala Nageswara Rao who had been in-charge of Pushkaralu in the district. Also, KCR deputed two IAS officers-Manik Raj and Yogita Rana-to monitor the arrangements in the district. Earlier in the day, Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy who took a holy dip in the main Pushkaralu ghat of the temple town reviewed the arrangements. He along with Tummala Nageswara Rao was present at the Mithila Kalyanamandapam when the idols of processional deities were placed for the pilgrims' convenience. Meanwhile, Governor ESL Narasimhan and his entourage would be taking part in Godavari Pushkaralu on July 20. It was learnt that Minister for Commercial Taxes Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Apollo group chairman C Prathap Reddy were expected to take a holy dip in Godavari on Saturday. According to an estimate, at least 5 lakh pilgrims were expected to visit Bhadrachalam and other Pushkar ghats in the district on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, the officials of legal metrology booked 5 cases and slapped a fine of Rs 23,000 on shopkeepers in the temple town for fraudulent practices carried out in weighing various products
