Sammakka Sarakka Jathara App – ‘Welcome to Medaram’ Mobile Application.. The Warangal (rural) police have come up with a mobile application to facilitate lakhs of pilgrims thronging Medaram to take part in the ensuing tribal fair, Sammakka Sarakka jatara, from February 17.
Besides the flexi boards and public address announcements about routes, parking, safety and others, the police launched ‘Welcome to Medaram’ mobile app which can be downloaded from Saturday evening. Once downloaded, it would work offline as well, said Superintendent of Police (Rural) Ambar Kishor Jha.
The application has categories like schedule (dates of arrival of goddesses); routes (how to reach Medaram from different directions like Warangal, Khammmam, Karimnagar and Hyderabad), parking (shows 27 parking places all over the jatara site and surrounding villages), emergency (ambulance, police, blood bank, officials available), notifications (alerting public), saved locations (once saved, it directs you to the place back again, like to your parking place) and others like officials and their phone numbers.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Jha said they were sure the app would help people in general and police in particular in ensuring smooth passage of the jatara which witnesses the second biggest human congregation in the country.
“We will also be using all other modes of communication to keep people informed every minute. Red FM 93.5 will also be alerting people about traffic condition en route,” he said.
According to him, about 10,000 police of all ranks would be drafted for jatara duties mobilising them from neighbouring districts. About 100 CCTVs would be installed at all important places, a temporary police station would be set up and one central crime station at Medaram village will be established to maintain law and order.
To prevent traffic congestion, vehicles would be allowed from one direction to Medaram which would return in another way. Accordingly, those proceeding towards Medaram will go via Gudepad, Mulugu, Pasra and Narlapur. On return journey, they will come via Narlapur, Bayyakapet, Dudekulapalli, Kamalapur crossroads, Bhupalpalli, Parkal and Gudepad.
Source – The Hindu.