Devotees Flag Dangerous Bridge, Poor Crowd Control At Vemulawada
Karimnagar: Despite heavy rush of thousands of people ahead of Sankranti festival and Medaram Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara, serious security lapses and mismanagement have come to light at Bheemeshwara Swamy Temple and Baddi Pochamma Temple in Vemulawada.
Pilgrims have expressed strong disappointment over the failure of authorities to provide basic facilities and safe infrastructure, especially at the Bheemeshwara Swamy Temple, where dangerous gaps in the causeway bridge pose a serious threat to devotees.
An affiliated temple of the Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple, the temple has become the main center for rituals, while the main temple continues to expand. However, devotees said the 1.5-metre-high staircase and elevated walkway bridge had wide open gaps and were in a dilapidated, rusted condition, raising fears that the structure could collapse on the move.
Elderly pilgrims and parents with young children stated that they encountered great difficulties while crossing the bridge and warned that even the slightest slip could lead to a serious accident. They criticized the temple management for ignoring these inherent dangers despite the increase in the number of pilgrims during Sankranti and the road to Medaram Jatara.
There was a complete breakdown in crowd management at the Baddi Pochamma Temple, where devotees traditionally offer Bonalu and Mokku after visiting Lord Rajanna. Thousands of pilgrims, including those from many other states, were stranded due to lack of organized queuing systems and basic amenities.
Inadequate barricades and understaffing led to chaotic scenes, making it difficult for devotees to perform rituals. Despite successive holidays and traditional practices of pilgrims visiting Vemulawada ahead of Medaram Jatara, the authorities were caught off guard, resulting in a significant increase in footfall.
The general feeling among devotees was disappointment. While the temples generate significant revenue through Arjita Sevas and Kode Mokku, devotees said there is little apparent investment in safety and comfort in the area.
Locals and pilgrims have demanded that the authorities immediately repair or replace the unsafe bridge at Bheemeshwara Swamy Temple and introduce effective crowd and security management measures before the busy festival season begins.
Photograph-1a and 1b of Puli file-1 is captioned: Stairs and elevated walkway at Bheemeshwara Swamy Temple at Vemulawada in Rajanna Sircilla district show wide open gaps and severe rusting, raising fears of collapse with movement.
