Rajamahendravaram: Special roads to prevent traffic problems on Ratnagiri Hill

Rajamahendravaram: Special measures are being taken to solve the traffic problems on Ratnagiri Hill at famous shrine Annavaram. Steps are being taken for special structures to prevent traffic problems on the hill and for the construction of internal roads. These will be built at four places on the way up the hill.

A special road is being laid from the fourth turn on the hill to the Vanadurga temple. It helps to avoid traffic problems for the pilgrims as well as temple staff.

Thousands of devotees visit Annavaram every day to have darshan of Lord Satyadeva. It is estimated that about 70 per cent of the devotees will come in their own cars and travel vehicles. 5,000 to 6,000 cars and other vehicles come every day during Kartika Masam, Ekadashi, other festivals and wedding season.

Due to insufficient space in Ratnagiri for vehicle parking, traffic problems often arise. Sometimes the devotees get stuck in the traffic for hours and face many problems. Keeping this situation in mind, steps are being taken to arrange alternative routes, said Temple Executive Officer Chandrasekhar Azad. He said that a multi-level car parking is being constructed at Satyagiri Y Junction to accommodate around 800 cars. After darshan, devotees can reach the bottom of the hill without turning their cars through the path built from the side of the old CRO office.

Officials said that this route has already been used experimentally. An alternate route is being constructed from Siva Sadan Cottage to Giripradakshana Road. Jungle clearance work is going on for this. Steps are being taken to make all these alternative arrangements available in the month of Kartikam. A service road is being constructed at Annavaram below Ratnagiri.

It will avoid traffic jams during vehicle inspection. Devasthanam officials say that if these arrangements are completed, there will be no traffic problems for the next 20 years. It is said that this plan has been prepared after estimating that there will be no problems even if the traffic congestion has increased twice.