Uphold TG traditions; Hyderabad gung-ho over Bonalu fest: Mantri

Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday instructed officials to uphold the rich culture and traditions of Telangana while organising the 'First Bonam' to Sri Jagadamba Mahankali Ammavaru, marking the commencement of the Ashada Masam Bonalu Festival from June 26.
The Hyderabad District In charge Minister, participating in a review meeting at the Golconda Fort premises, expressed his desire for Telangana to be renowned worldwide through the Ashada Bonalu festival. The meeting brought together officials from the Police, Revenue, Road and Buildings (R&B), Electricity, Endowments, Medical Health, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Fire, Tourism, and Information departments to discuss arrangements for the Bonalu Jatara at Sri Jagadamba Mahankali Devasthanam.
The Minister directed officials to make elaborate arrangements to ensure that devotees face no difficulties during the Bonalu festivities. He stressed that police should continuously monitor the situation to prevent any untoward incidents, while the R&B department should ensure barricades and toilets are readily available for devotees' comfort. The electricity department was tasked with maintaining a continuous power supply without outages, and the revenue department with overseeing all arrangements. Mr Prabhakar emphasised that all departments must work in coordination and service to ensure a peaceful Bonalu celebration.
The Minister stated that the festival will commence on June 26 from Golconda, a tradition deeply embedded in Hyderabad for many years, and urged officials to take steps to avoid any inconvenience to pilgrims. He noted that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had already allocated Rs 20 crore for the State Festivals. Prominent individuals, he added, would offer silk clothes to famous temples. He concluded by praying for abundant rains, thriving dairy crops, and good business for Telangana, by the grace of the goddess. Mr Prabhakar specifically instructed the GHMC to ensure sufficient sanitation staff, provision of drinking water facilities, continuous power supply, and the installation of additional generators. He also called for the establishment of health camps and ambulance services, alongside SHE teams to monitor and ensure the safety of women without any problems.
The fire department was directed to remain alert to prevent fire accidents and keep fire engines ready. Lastly, the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) was asked to arrange special buses from various bus stops in Hyderabad to Golconda, anticipating a higher turnout of devotees due to the free bus services available for women.

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