In view of multifold increase in traffic on the main roads leading to Medaram ahead of the upcoming Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, the district administration has decided to ban the movement of heavy goods vehicles including sand lorries on the main routes leading to Medaram in Mulugu district from February 8 to 20.
The decision has been taken to avoid traffic snarls and ensure smooth movement of personal vehicles as well as individual and passenger vehicles ferrying devotees to the four-day jatara to be held in Medaram from February 16 to 19, official sources said.
As per the orders issued to this effect, no heavy vehicle (sand lorries) will be allowed to ply from Gudeppad in Atmakur mandal of Hanamkonda district towards the Mulugu district border point on the Bhoopalapatnam route. Personal vehicles and the jatara-bound passenger vehicles will be exempted, sources added. Heavy vehicles on this route will be diverted via Charla-Kothagudem-Khammam-Suryapet-Hyderabad and Manuguru-Kothagudem-Khammam-Suryapet-Hyderabad.
The police department has charted out an elaborate jatara bandobust plan with a focus on CCTV surveillance and traffic monitoring in and around the jatara area in Medaram.
Sources said as many as 386 CCTV cameras will be installed at vantage points and the whole CCTV network will be monitored from the Command and Control Centre in Medaram.
Meanwhile, Medaram village witnessed a huge footfall of devotees on Sunday. A substantial number of devotees came from the coal belt region spanning the erstwhile composite Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam and Warangal districts.
In a statement, Minister for Tribal Welfare, Women and Child Welfare Satyavathi Rathod said comprehensive bandobust arrangements have been made to prevent untoward incidents during the ensuing Medaram jatara. She said a large posse of police personnel including members of SHE teams will be deployed to keep constant vigil at the jatara site.
Adequate number of medical teams, more than double the number of teams deployed during the last jatara, will be pressed into service this time, she said, urging the devotees to strictly follow the COVID related safety guidelines.
