In order to provide a hassle-free and smooth travelling experience to millions of devotees, the Telangana government has taken a massive infrastructure development initiative at Medaram. The state has made it a priority to ensure that ten new roads and other necessary upgrades are completed with a large investment of ₹165 crore. The move is well-timed in order to handle such high numbers of pilgrims that are expected to attend the coming Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, a large tribal festival that is set to be held between January 28 and January 31.
Logistic challenges and primary objective
To control the logistical problems of such a large congregation, the government has allocated 1,400 acres to be used as vehicle parks. Devotees are already coming in large numbers daily to take advance prayers even before the event proper commences.
The official estimates imply that the total number of visitors will be in excess of 1.5 crore during the four-day festival. The way 39 major routes to Medaram have been developed has been a centre of interest to the state, which entailed the coordination of the National Highways, the Roads and Buildings Department, and the Panchayat Raj Department.
One of the main aims of the infrastructure boost was to remove the bottlenecks that were there and could result in the slow movement of pilgrims. The project also involved the construction of three major culverts and various bridges, besides the ten new roads.
The Roads and Buildings Department was crucial as it carried out works that are valued at approximately ₹102 crore in under record time. Significant milestones have witnessed the reinforcement and bitumination of the 33 km long stretch between Pasra and Bhupalpally, the 20 km long road connecting Tadwai and Narlapur and the 23 km long road between Chinnaboyinapalli and Urattam.
More investments were made to provide structural integrity to the transport system. Repairing and strengthening of bridges in eight lane national highways was done at ₹360 lakh.
Infrastructure highlights the opening of the important new bridges at Katakshapur and Mallampalli, which have been fully functionalized to pass traffic of a heavy nature. These enhancements are meant to manage the high pressure of the millions of vehicles that are likely to pass through the area during the festivities.
Multi-agency approach and crowd management
The new infrastructure transformation was the outcome of concerted actions of various government engineering departments. It completed 84 different projects with the expenditure of ₹52.21 crore successfully through the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department.
The Tribal Welfare Engineering Department assisted in the completion of three new buildings and 5 new roads at ₹8.08 crores. This multi-agency strategy ensured that the main access routes, as well as the internal village connectivity within the Medaram region, were enhanced to serve the high demand.
The government has introduced stringent safety and crowd control measures, other than building roads. A lot of barricading has been provided along the route of the Chilakala Gattu Sammakka, which serves the Gaddelu area as well as the temple premises.
The same safety precautions have been installed around police camps to aid in order and security. To respond to emergencies, the state has also ensured that helipads have been built or repaired in several police stations that would then respond quickly in case of an emergency.
Conclusion
The entire infrastructure improvements of Medaram are a tremendous process on behalf of the Telangana government in a bid to turn the transport network in the area to accommodate one of the largest religious groups in India. The state has laid out a strong base in readiness for the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara through the effective utilization of funds and speedy completion of road and bridge projects and parking areas. This and such developments are to ensure that the millions of devotees can enjoy the tribal festival without the past logistical challenges and the connectivity problems that affected people in the past.
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