Medaram village with a population of less than 1000 is severely stressed by the large congregation of people and the human activities have caused severe negative impact on the environment.

Medaram Jathra and Jampanna Vagu

Jampanna vagu which flows in the vicinity of the Medaram village, forms the blood line of the jathra rituals – for holy bath as well as subsistence of the devotees during the jathra period.

Jampanna Vagu is a stream where lakhs of pilgrims take bath, wash themselves and their cloths and also where animals are also washed. The stream has water only during the rainy season and for a few weeks following the monsoon.

Jampanna Vagu…..

This stream is normally dry during the month of February when the festival is held and the water is released to the stream through the surplus weir of Laknavaram Lake.

A make shift bridge is normally constructed across the vagu to facilitate the movements of people and at time small vehicles and bullock carts from one bank of the stream to the other.

There is a long felt need for a permanent bridge across this vagu for the convenience of pilgrims as well as to plan transportation requirements during the jathra

During the last year, strong proposals were initiated to take up this work with financial assistance from NABARD.

Mile Stones..

The District Collector took the initiative to get the bridge constructed before the jathra of 2002.

GOAP gave powers to the District Collector to get the work done on nomination basis.

Administrative sanction for Rs.189.00 lakhs was accorded on 24.12.2002.

A press note was issued inviting interested contractors to participate in the bid to be held on 24.12.2001 .

A committed consisting of 5 IAS officers and 4 S.E. belonging the R&B and Panchayat Raj was formed

Six bids were received – 3 sealed quotations and 3 in person

Based on the comparative statements and the past experience of the contractors, the work was entrusted to Sri K.Sudarshan Reddy.

GOAP accepted the proposal to entrust the work to Sri Sudarshan Reddy on nomination basis vide GO Rt.22 Dt:05.01.2002.

Men, materials and machinery were mobilised by the contractor and the actual work started on 02.01.2002, in anticipation of Government approval.

Except for a few interruptions by the local extremists for about seven days, the work progressed at a very brisk rate.

The support of the villagers and the local public and their continued cooperation throughout helped to completed the bridge in a record time – 37 days.

The whole process of conceiving the idea of having a bridge at the Medaram before the commencement of jathra and the completion of the bridge took less than two months.

It is hoped that this bridge will meet the long felt need of the public, ease traffic congestion, make the pilgrimage a more pleasant experience for the visitors and management more efficient for the administrators.