8.3 crore earmarked for Navaratri festival

Vijayawada: Sri Durga Temple Executive Officer (EO) V Koteswaramma said that Rs 8.3 crore would be spent for Dasara Navaratri festival celebrations. She reviewed the Dasara festival arrangements with officials and Trust Board members at Madapati Choultry here on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media persons, she said that all arrangements were being made for Dasara festival. She said that Kadamba Prasadam would be distributed to devotees during the festival days.

Cultural programmes would be conducted in the temple premises, she said. The EO said that funds for the arrangements are yet to be received from the government. The Dwarakamai Trust donated 12 tonnes of rice for the festival celebrations, she added.

She said that 15 lakh devotees visited the temple during the festival season last year. She said that the arrangements were being made in coordination with the police and other departments to make the celebrations a grand success.

Temporary works worth of Rs 1.6 crore have already commenced, she said and added that darshan would be provided to VIPs from 7 am to 8 am and 3 pm to 4 pm.  She said that the funds will be spent transparently by minimising the expenditure. Trust Board chairman Yalamanchali Gouranga Babu and several officials were also present.