Vijayawada: Despite clear instructions from the NTR district collector Dr G Lakshmisha, Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhar Babu and Sri Kanaka Durga Temple Executive Officer (EO) VK Seena Naik, the VIP darshan slot system at Indrakeeladri is reportedly not being followed during the ongoing 11-day Dasara Sarannavaratri celebrations.
Officials had earlier announced that VIP darshan would be strictly limited to designated slots — from 7 am to 9 am and from 3 pm to 5 pm — to ensure smooth movement of common devotees. However, in practice, several VIPs are being permitted outside the allocated timings, disrupting the temple’s crowd management system.
In addition, police officials have reportedly allowed excessive vehicular entry onto the Ghat Road, with many cars being labelled as “VIP vehicles.” These vehicles have been allowed up to the Pongal Shed. This has resulted in severe traffic congestion on the ghat road leading to the temple. The jams are creating major hurdles for ordinary devotees, who are struggling to reach the temple premises for hassle-free darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga Devi.
Devotees expressed their displeasure, stating that while the administration promised a smooth darshan experience with separate slot-based arrangements, the ground reality has been the opposite. The congestion on the narrow Ghat Road not only causes delays but also raises concerns about safety, particularly during peak hours when thousands throng Indrakeeladri.
The influx of VVIPs and VIPs seeking to have darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga Devi has significantly extended the waiting time for regular devotees. This surge in VIP activity has also caused inconvenience to others present on the temple grounds, disrupting the overall experience for many visitors.
Temple authorities and district officials are being urged to strictly enforce the slot system and regulate vehicular movement to ensure that the sanctity of arrangements is maintained, and that priority is given to the convenience of common devotees.
Unannounced road closures cause inconvenience
Unannounced road closures by the traffic police created severe inconvenience to commuters and devotees in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Several roads leading to Prakasam Barrage, Kanaka Durga Temple and other areas were blocked without prior notice, drawing strong concerns from the public.
The road from Rajiv Gandhi Park near Kanaka Durga Flyover towards Prakasam Barrage was closed, forcing people travelling to Tadepalli and those visiting the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) office to face hardships. The closure also led to heavy traffic jams on approach roads towards Hyderabad.
Interestingly, a press release issued by Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhar Babu on September 21 had clarified that no road in the city would be closed. However, contrary to the official statement, field-level staff reportedly enforced restrictions, causing confusion and disruption to the public and devotees.
