Government urges special focus on private temples ahead of festival season

With the upcoming festival season approaching, the state government has directed strict monitoring of private temples to ensure the safety of devotees. Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand instructed district officials to take proactive measures, recalling that three major temple accidents in 2025 claimed 22 lives.

Speaking at a review meeting held on Monday via Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) at the Secretariat, Vijayanand emphasized that private temples cannot be neglected simply because they are outside direct government control. He urged officials to closely monitor the conditions of all prominent private temples under their jurisdiction.

He cited incidents such as the stampede at Vaikuntha Dwar Darshan tickets in Bairagipatteda, a wall collapse at Simhachalam, and a broken stair railing at Kashibugga, highlighting serious safety lapses across the state. The Chief Secretary stressed that officials must anticipate large crowds during festivals like Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Dhanurmasa and take preventive measures in advance.

Temple authorities have been instructed to notify government agencies about expected crowd sizes and their crowd management arrangements. Securing police approval for safety measures is mandatory, as this will help prevent stampedes, railing collapses, and other accidents.

Furthermore, Vijayanand directed the preparation of a “Guideline Booklet” outlining essential safety protocols, crowd management strategies, and cleanliness measures, to be distributed to all private temples. Special attention should be given to sanitation, hygiene, and the management of entry and exit routes.

The meeting also reviewed the Agriculture Department’s preparedness. Vijayanand asked officials to ensure that there would be no shortage of fertilizers for the upcoming Rabi season by planning well in advance. He noted that adequate fertilizer stocks already exist in the state and that supply will continue uninterrupted.

The Chief Secretary also called for increased use of the Manamitra WhatsApp Governance services. The review meeting was attended by senior officials, including IT and RTC Secretary Bhaskar Katamneni, CEO Prakhar Jain, Budithi Rajashekar, Geetanjali Sharma, Dhatri Reddy, and Malika Garg.