Vijayawada: All arrangements are being made for smooth conduct of the nine-day Dasara festivities at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam Temple atop Indrakeeladri from October 3.

Chairing a coordination meeting in this regard with temple executive officer (EO) K.S. Rama Rao, NTR district commissioner of police S.V. Rajasekhar Babu, Vijayawada West MLA Y. Sujana Chowdary, and representatives of various departments, NTR district collector Dr. G. Srijana directed all officials concerned to work in tandem.

Srijana asked officials to expedite arrangements and accord top priority to common devotees during the nine-day Dasara festivities till October 12. She said around one lakh devotees are expected to visit the temple every day. She asked officials to provide drinking water, milk and food to devotees in queues with the help of donors during the nine-day festival.

The collector said temple authorities are taking elaborate measures to curb rock falls on the ghat road. They will remain vigilant during the Dasara festivities to prevent any untoward incidents on the road.

Durga Temple EO Rama Rao announced that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will present silk robes to the presiding Goddess Kanaka Durga on behalf of the state government on the auspicious Moola Nakshatram day on October 9, when two to three lakh devotees are expected.

He disclosed that the presiding deity will be adorned in nine different avatars on each day of the nine-day festival.

The EO informed that devotees will be allowed darshan through three queues from the Vinayaka temple and two more queues, including free and VIP darshan, at the Om Turning.

“Total 25 lakh laddu prasadams will be made available to devotees during the Dasara festival. Besides the prasadam counter at Om Turning, special prasadam counters will be set up at Kanaka Durga Nagar,” he said.

Police commissioner Rajasekhar Babu said they are deploying 3,500 police personnel for the Dasara festivities in Vijayawada city. Security measures will be reviewed from time to time from the Command Control Centre at Durga Ghat.

West MLA Sujana Chowdary suggested that authorities allot time-slot darshans for the elderly, differently-abled, VIPs, and VVIPs to avoid inconveniencing common devotees.