City Decked For Bonalu Feast This Weekend 

Hyderabad: Amidst devotional fervor and traditional pomp, Bonalu celebrations began with the Ujjaini Mahankali Jatara in Secunderabad on Friday. More than 16 lakh people are expected to visit the temple during final phase of the festival from Saturday to Monday, according to Executive Officer of Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, S. Annapoorna.

The police held a meeting with the temple priests on the security and other arrangements for a smooth conduct of the event. City police commissioner Mahendar Reddy said that over 2,500 police personnel including several SHE teams will be deployed at the temple premises. "Over 130 CCTV cameras will be installed to keep a watch on each and every movement of the people at the temple," the commissioner added.

"The state government has released Rs1 crore for the festival. Of that Rs65 lakhs was spent for the Jatara till now. We are also deploying sanitation workers to keep the temple and the premises clean," GHMC commissioner Janardhan Reddy said. He also said that mobile toilets and electric bulbs will be arranged near to the temple.

Additional CP Srinivasa Rao, DCP Sumathi, Zonal Commissioner Vijaya Raju, Corporator Attheli Aruna Goud were among those who attended the meeting.