Over 10 lakh people took the holy bath on the first day of Pushkaram on July 14. (Press Trust of India)
ESL Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, today took a holy dip in the river Godavari on the seventh day of the ongoing 'Mahapushkaram' in Rajamundry.
The Governor along with his wife arrived in Rajamundry from Hyderabad around 9.40 am and reached the Sarswathi VIP ghat, where the priests briefed them the importance of this year's 'Pushkaram' referred to as 'Maha kumbhamela' as this category occurs once in every 144 years only, officials said.
After the ritual, the Governor left for Bhadrachalam. Last night, despite rains Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is camping in Rajamundry till the end of the 12-day-festival on July 25, visited various ghats, bus as well as railway stations to enquire pilgrims about the arrangements made for them.
Later, he held a review meeting with various officials from 10.45 pm to 12 in the midnight.
Subsequently, speaking to reporters in the wee hours, he said, "we are expecting extra pilgrims today and tomorrow (on account of two-day holiday) over normal days and making arrangements to meet their requirements."
"We are monitoring the situation from control room time to time. Also, LED screens display important information to pilgrims including vacant ghats names, missing persons, RTC and bus information and cultural devotional programmes."
He said 4-5 lakh food packets will be distributed at railway and bus stands.
He also directed the municipal officials to keep the city clean in view of a visit by a foreign delegation from Singapore to submit the blueprint of the "seed capital" city of Andhra Pradesh, which is the third and final phase of the master plan, to Mr Naidu.
Singapore-based consultants have already presented a capital region development plan and followed it up with a master plan. They will now present the seed (core) capital plan.
The "seed capital" will comprise administrative buildings such as Raj Bhavan, Chief Minister's office, Assembly building, secretariat, High Court and residential quarters of ministers and officials.
The team, which has already arrived in Rajahmundhry is likely to participate in the evening programmes and also attend the Godavari Harathi (aarti).