Chiru's pre-release event gets AU grounds

Visakhapatnam: Andhra University grounds or Beach Road...? This is the doubt that lingered on while the organisers tried to make elaborate arrangements for the much-hyped 'Waltair Veerayya' pre-release event. As parts of the Chiranjeevi-starrer movie were shot in Visakhapatnam, the film unit preferred port city as the venue for its grand pre-release event. However, things didn't turn out to be favourable for Mega Star admirers as the confusion over the venue continued to drag till a day before the event.

Initially, RK Beach was zeroed in as the venue for the event and permission was sought to this effect. Keeping the security reasons and GO:1 in view, permission was withdrawn at RK Beach. The pre-release event being scheduled on a weekend and RK Beach already brimming with tourists, the city police raised objection to the venue and requested the organisers to change the place of the event. "Given the team of actors arriving and the expected crowd, our primary concern is that there should not be any stampede kind of situation at RK Beach. Tourists arrive in droves on Sundays at beach road. And the pre-release event should not be a cause for concern in terms of maintaining safety and security," expressed Ch Srikanth, the City Commissioner of Police.

Meanwhile, arrangements have already been made at RK Beach and the organisers expressed disappointment over the shifting of the venue to AU grounds. Even as the police mention that they did not get any request for the change of venue, a message stating that the government agreed to host the event at RK Beach added to the confusion. Apparently, there was no clarity as far as the place of venue was concerned till Saturday night as the organisers expressed concern over the last minute arrangements.

About four lakhs of people from across North Andhra and neighbouring states are expected to participate in the event. For a while, the news about cancellation of the event also did rounds. It is only much later, the organisers received a message from Chiranjeevi to go ahead with the arrangements at AU grounds for the pre-release event. With this, the event organisers accelerated the pace to take up the arrangements of the 'Waltair Veerayya' pre-release event. Some of them mentioned that it was really a tough task for them to make necessary arrangements overnight for such a big event. No work is done for the event at the AU grounds till 9 pm on Saturday. With limited time at their disposal, the organisers said that arrangements will be made at AU grounds for 25,000 people and passes will be issued for them.