Visakhapatnam District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad.
| Photo Credit:
V RAJU
Visakhapatnam — the City of Destiny — is all geared up and decked up to host the biggest public event ever held so far on Saturday.
All arrangements appear to be in place to host the International Yoga Day, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on the Beach Road.
The event is being held over a road stretch of about 28 km, from the Kali Matha temple at RK Beach to Bheemunipatnam.
The entire coastal stretch, abutting the golden sands and the blue waters has been beautified to make the event a memorable one. The entire road stretch is covered with green carpet, where over 3.5 lakh people are expected to participate, with the PM and the CM leading the yoga asanas from a stage erected at the starting point — the Kali Matha temple.
Interacting with The Hindu District Collector Harendhira Prasad said arrangements are in place to see the event is conducted without any hassles.
According to him, ever since the registration platforms were announced about a month ago, some 9 lakh people from Visakhapatnam have registered to participate in the event. “Finally we have got confirmation from about 2.5 lakh people from the city. This apart we have over a lakh of people from the neighbouring districts of Anakapalli, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Alluri Sitharama Raju,” he said.
The main venue of Saturday’s International Yoga Day event, RK Beach in Visakhapatnam.
| Photo Credit:
DEEPAK KR
Giving details about the spacing and slots, Mr. Harendhira Prasad said: “We are allocating slots to each individual and finally we have created about 3.19 lakh slots. The slots are divided into 326 compartments, which are numbered, and each compartment will cater to about 675 individuals, who will perform the Yoga asanas on the mats on the carpeted green area. Apart from the Beach Road, the event will be held simultaneously at 30 adjoining locations such as in GITAM University and Andhra University.”
To make the compartments accessible and easier to locate for the participants we are positioning four to seven buses at each Sachivalayam. They will pick the participants and bring them to the allotted compartments. To make sure that the bus in-charges bring them to the allotted compartment, we are doing a dry run on Friday and a proper map has been handed over to them. Similarly on return the participants will reach the buses, which will be parked nearby and they will be ferried back. Our earnest request to each participant, is take the buses and avoid coming by their own vehicles, said Mr. Harendhira Prasad.
The district administration has sanctioned about 7000 buses for Visakhapatnam and over 1,200 for the other four districts. These apart, each industry, including the PSUs will be transporting their employees in their own buses.
“The only hassle that one may face is the timing. The buses will be ready by midnight at the Sachivalayams and the participants will board them by 3 a.m. They will be brought to the venue by 5.30 a.m.” he said.
The district administration has also mobilised about 3,000 makeshift toilets, which will function apart from the public toilets.
Huge manpower
Ever since Mr. Naidu had announced the event, the entire administration in the State has been on the job. The CM wants the event documented in the Guinness Book of World Record, the administration is leaving no stone unturned to make it a success.
It learnt that about 80 IPS officers, 20 IAS officers, a police force of about 12,000 and from the administration side about 10,000 personnel have been deputed to see that event is conducted without any hassles. “This apart we have deputed about 6,000 volunteers from NCC, NSS and others to assist the administration,” the District Collector said.
Naval trainer jets rehearsing a flypast over RK Beach on Friday (June 20, 2025).
| Photo Credit:
DEEPAK KR
Naval helicopters rehearsing a flypast over RK Beach on Friday (June 20, 2025).
| Photo Credit:
DEEPAK KR
Both the PM and the CM will arrive by Friday evening and the yoga event will be held from 6.30 a.m. to 7.50 a.m. on Saturday. Eastern Naval Command will also conduct a fanfare flypast to herald the beginning of the event and a few warships be anchored at anchorage, off the coast, where the naval personnel will perform Yoga at the same time.
Published – June 20, 2025 03:51 pm IST