Simhachalam Gearing Up For Chandanotsavam

The hill of Simhachalam is getting ready for its annual Chandanotsavam which is to be held on April 29. For the celebrations, the police department is planning to deploy 2000 personnel including 500 exclusively to monitor the traffic. The police are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure safety and decorum of the devotees and also to ensure safety of the VIPs including the governor, ESL Narasimhan who is to visit the temple with his wife.

The city police commissioner, T Yoganand said that there will be a round-the-clock command center which will be monitoring all aspects along with officials from the police, revenue, medical and health and disaster management wings. He also said that they are arranging CCTVs at all the entry and exit points of the temple and queue lanes. However, six mobile video cameras would also be put up to find out any irregularities or violation of rules.

Nearly 5,000 VIP and protocol passes have been issued by the management, but they say that the demand for the government departments is four times more. The commissioner also said that no person will be allowed without a valid ticket or pass. The verification of passes would take place before they enter the ghat roads. It is also said that the VIPs will be allowed for darshan only from 5am to 6am and 4pm to 5pm.

The devotees holding the Rs.1,000 ticket will be accommodated in the mini AC buses from Toli Pavancha to the temple on the hill. The other devotees will be accommodated in the RTC buses and any vehicle without a valid pass will not be allowed to enter. However the CC cameras have been increased to 70 in order to maintain high security. Cops from the neighbouring districts have also been enlisted for duty.