Landslides at Indrakeeladri again, no casualties

Though the district administration has taken preventive measures to check landslides on Indrakeeladri hill by strengthening the mesh for the Dasara festivities, the rain that occurred on Monday midnight triggered off a landslide on Ghat road of Goddess Kanaka Durga forcing the officials to suspend traffic on the road abruptly.

The Devasthanam authorities heaved a sigh of relief as no casualties were reported in the incident. The landslide occurred around midnight, when there was virtually no movement on the track.

The authorities immediately took repair works to the ghat road by removing boulders from the spot. The falling boulders damaged the mesh erected to stop such an eventuality.

The authorities deployed poclains to remove the debris and managed to clear the road for traffic by Tuesday morning.

The incident has created fear and anxiety among lakhs of devotees, who throng the temple for darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga during the festival time.

Expressing serious concern over the frequent recurrence of landslides on the hill shrine, devotees appealed to authorities concerned to strengthen the retaining wall and reinforce the mesh. They also appealed to the authorities to take preventive measures to check landslides immediately.

The Goddess was adorned as Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi on the fifth day to mark Dasara celebrations.

Meanwhile In-charge Collector Gaurav Uppal and Commissioner of Police P S R Anjaneyulu visited the temple and reviewed the security arrangements for Chief Minister K Rosaiah's scheduled visit on Wednesday.

Mr Rosaiah would have darshan of the goddess on the auspicious ‘Moola Nakshatram' day, when the goddess would be decked up as Saraswati Devi.

He would present the customary silk clothes to the goddess. The Chief Minister would be given the traditional ‘aashirvachanam' (blessings) by the priests.

The Chief Minister would arrive at Gannavaram airport by helicopter and go straight to railway station by road to flag off the Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali circular train service.

He would reach Indrakeeladri by road at 4.15 pm and spend about 30 minutes. The Chief Minister would stay at State Guest House.