Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina slated for July 28, 29

The annual Giri Pradakshina of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy in Simhachalam is scheduled to be held on July 28 and 29 this year.

Ahead of the spiritual event, Visakhapatnam District Collector M. Abhishikt Kishore conducted a review meeting with all the departments concerned and directed them to work in close coordination to ensure seamless arrangements for the annual festival, where lakhs of devotees are expected to participate in the 32-km pilgrimage around the Simhachalam hill.

Reviewing the preparations at a meeting held at the Collectorate on Wednesday, along with Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg, Joint Collector G. Vidyadhari, Simhachalam Devasthanam Executive Officer J. Venkata Rao and officials from various departments, the Collector directed officials to ensure all essential infrastructure is in place well before the event.

The Collector said the Giri Pradakshina will commence at 4 p.m. on July 28 after special rituals performed by the hereditary trustee at Tholi Pavancha, even as devotees start the trek from morning.

Simhachalam Devasthanam Executive Officer J. Venkata Rao said that the temple administration has accelerated preparations for the event. He said a permanent shed costing ₹50 lakh is being constructed at Tholi Pavancha.

Control centre

To facilitate devotees, the administration will establish 50 queue lines and instal 100 iron stands for coconut-breaking rituals, besides keeping additional counters ready depending on the crowd. A dedicated Command and Control Centre will also be set up at Tholi Pavancha to enable real-time coordination among all departments, he said.

The Collector instructed officials to provide facilities along the entire 32-km route, including drinking water, bio-toilets, sanitation services, rest centres, medical camps, ambulances, mobile medical units, street lighting, high-mast lights, public address systems and control rooms. He also asked the authorities to deploy water tankers and set up rest shelters every five kilometres.

The Collector also ordered the officials to give special attention to the Hanumanthawaka stretch, where the Giri Pradakshina route meets National Highway-16.

He also asked the officials to examine the feasibility of installing temporary foot overbridges to ensure the safe movement of devotees across the highway.

The Health Department was also directed to establish sufficient medical camps, deploy doctors, ANMs and ASHA workers, and stock adequate emergency medicines and Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) packets along the route. A dedicated emergency corridor will be maintained to ensure uninterrupted movement of ambulances, he said.

The GVMC has been instructed to undertake continuous sanitation measures and ensure prompt disposal of waste, while maintaining bio-toilets throughout the event. The Electricity Department has been asked to complete ongoing underground cable works before the event, repair damaged roads immediately thereafter and keep generators on standby to prevent power disruptions.

RTC officials have been directed to operate special buses up to Tholi Pavancha and identify alternative parking locations to avoid congestion on the BRTS corridor.

Commissioner of Police, Shankhabratha Bagchi, instructed officials to inspect all CCTV cameras well in advance to ensure they function effectively, noting that technical issues had been reported during previous years. Additional lighting will be provided at poorly illuminated locations, while the public address system will be strengthened to facilitate continuous communication with devotees.