District Collector M Abhishikt Kishore and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg on Saturday said that all necessary arrangements have been made in a comprehensive manner for the annual Chandanotsavam event of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam slated for April 20.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Kishore said they are anticipating around two lakh devotees to visit the temple for the ritual this year. He informed that darshan for devotees will begin at 4 a.m. following the first pooja.
He noted that nearly 40,000 tickets in the ₹300, ₹1,000, and ₹1,500 categories have already been sold online, while free darshan will be provided to the remaining devotees. To facilitate smooth transportation, 100 special buses have been arranged free of cost to ferry devotees to the hilltop, he also said.
Private vehicles will not be allowed uphill, and devotees have been requested to park their vehicles at the 32 designated parking areas at the foothills.
“To enhance convenience, the length of queue lines has been reduced, and canopies have been installed along the queues to protect devotees from heat and rain. Experienced staff from Tirumala and Vijayawada temples have been deployed to ensure smooth movement of queues,” he said.
