Kotappakonda temple festival arrangements – The Hindu

The Palnadu district authorities have put in place elaborate arrangements to facilitate devotees, pilgrims and tourists for the forthcoming Maha Shivaratri celebrations at the Kotappakonda temple, with a range of attractions such as helicopter rides, scenic viewpoints, boating facilities and other amenities set to welcome the influx of pilgrims.

State Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy on Wednesday (February 4, 2026) announced that ₹30 lakh has been sanctioned for organising the Kotappakonda festival. He said every devotee visiting the Trikoteswara Swamy temple during the festival would be provided one free laddu as prasadam. Drawing lessons from previous years, the government has decided to issue VIP tickets instead of VIP passes to streamline darshan arrangements.

The Minister conducted the third review meeting on Maha Shivaratri preparations at Narasaraopet, attended by District Collector Kritika Shukla, District In-charge Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Chief Whip G.V. Anjaneyulu, and MLAs Chadalavada Aravind Babu, Prathipati Pullarao and Julakanti Brahmananda Reddy. He said VIP darshan tickets would be available for online booking from February 10 to 14, and VIPs would be allowed darshan strictly within their allotted time slots. Steps would be taken to ensure faster darshan without long waiting hours in queue lines.

District In-charge Minister Ravi Kumar directed officials to prevent power disruptions and keep staff ready to address lift and electricity-related issues. Collector Kritika Shukla said 618 buses have been deployed this year, compared to 550 last year, including 95 buses exclusively to ferry devotees downhill. Special arrangements have also been made for pilgrims staying on the hilltop at night, along with improved lighting during processions.