Telangana government has drawn plans to spend Rs 500 crore on preparations for Godavari Pushkaralu to be held from July 14 to 25 next year. Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Thirtha Swamy will be kicking off this holy fete from Basar in Adilabad district.  

Government is expecting a crowd of three crore people to take holy dip in five districts through which the Godavari river passes in Telangana State. Cabinet sub-committee on Godavari Pushkaralu met under the chairmanship of Endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy at Secretariat on Tuesday.

The group of Ministers consisting of T Rajaiah, Tummala Nageshwara Rao, T Harish Rao and Jogu Ramanna decided to make arrangements akin to Kumbh Mela. Besides upping facilities in Basar, Bhadrachalam, Dharampuri, Kaleshwaram and Ramagundam to meet the heavy rush of pilgrims, government decided to increase the number of Pushkar Ghats to 80 in various districts with a budget of Rs 70 crore.

Also Rs 266 crore will be spent on sprucing up 37 roads connecting ghats for convenience of commuters. Likewise, Panchayat Raj department will be spending Rs 61 crore for laying and repairing 105 roads under its limits. Nearly 13.5 crore is earmarked for providing drinking water besides sanitation facilities.

The Cabinet sub-committee has decided to meet again in a fortnight to review medical and electricity department preparations for Pushkaralu. Meanwhile, the government is planning to invite chief ministers and governors of different States to visit Telangana during Pushkaralu.