Title - 3-day fest at Holy Mary Matha shrine begins

VIJAYAWADA: Devotees thronged the Holy Mary Matha shrine at Gunadala on the city outskirts of the city from early morning on Saturday for the three-day annual festival at the church. Thousands of pilgrims jostled each other to enter the shrine. A holy mass was held to mark the start of the festival. The district administration made elaborate arrangements for visiting pilgrims. Vijayawada in-charge Bishop Govindu Joji, Gunadala shrine rector M Chinnappa conducted special prayers.With the church authorities expecting around 10 lakh pilgrims to visit the shrine during the festival, both the railways and APSRTC made special arrangements. While the Railways announced halting of several passenger and express trains at Gunadala and Ramavarappadu stations on temporary basis, APSRTC is plying hundreds of special city services to the shrine.Director of the social service centre of the church Muvvala Prasad said the steps on the hill were made accessible to the aged and children. A toll-free number 18004254688 has also been set up for the convenience of devotees during the festival. The authorities of the church are expecting Basilica status for the Gunadala shrine in view of the high turnout of devotees. Pilgrims from various districts in the state reached Vijayawada on Friday itself and started visiting the holy shrine from early morning. Thousands of pilgrims queued up from the bottom of the hill to the Shrine at the top.

Meanwhile, district collector Budhaprakash M Jyothi visited the shrine a day before the festival and offered prayers. The collector directed the local RDO Venkat Rao to monitor the arrangements till the end of the festival.

Municipal commissioner G S Panda Das visited the shrine area and inspected the arrangements.

The municipal corporation has set up a medical camp with nine doctors and 18 ANMs for the pilgrims needing medical help. About 70 sanitary workers have been deployed at the shrine to keep the surroundings clean. Water sachets are being provided to the pilgrims and temporary bathrooms were built for their convenience.