Godavari Pushkaram 2027: 10 crore devotees expected, ₹4,026 crore prep underway
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh is gearing up for a Godavari Pushkaram of unprecedented scale — 8 to 10 crore devotees, ₹4,026 crore in infrastructure spending, 440 ghats, and AI-driven crowd management, all to be ready within 10 months. The 2015 edition drew under 5 crore; 2027 targets nearly double that, with 1 crore dips expected on peak days.
Key Takeaways
8 to 10 crore devotees are expected at Godavari Pushkaram 2027 , beginning 26 June 2027 in Andhra Pradesh.
Preparations worth ₹4,026 crore are underway; the Finance Department has already released ₹899 crore .
440 ghats are planned — 259 existing to be developed and 181 new to be constructed across six districts.
Nearly 1 crore devotees per day are expected at peak, compared to 4.86 crore total during the 2015 Maha Pushkaram.
Safety measures include AI crowd analytics , drone surveillance , CCTV monitoring , and QR-based vehicle identification .
CM Naidu has directed a tourism circuit linking temples including Pithapuram Shakti Peetham , Pancharama temples , and Dwaraka Tirumala .
An estimated 8 to 10 crore devotees are expected to attend the Godavari Pushkaram 2027 in Andhra Pradesh, with preparations worth ₹4,026 crore already underway, officials said on Tuesday, 25 August. The 12-yearly river festival is scheduled to commence on 26 June 2027, leaving authorities with roughly 10 months to complete one of the largest religious infrastructure drives in the state's history.
Chief Minister's Directives
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the progress of preparatory works at the Secretariat and directed officials to conduct the event on a grand scale while ensuring devotees face no inconvenience. Naidu emphasised the need to expedite works given the tight timeline, and called for the development of a tourism circuit linking major pilgrimage centres in the Godavari region.
The Finance Department has already allocated ₹899 crore toward the preparations, with multiple departments — including Municipal Administration, Roads and Buildings, Water Resources, Energy, and Panchayat Raj — undertaking major works across the region.
Scale of Infrastructure Works
District-wise, works worth ₹1,869 crore will be taken up in East Godavari, ₹1,501 crore in Konaseema, ₹625 crore in West Godavari, ₹426 crore in Eluru, ₹321 crore in Kakinada, and ₹190 crore in Polavaram. A total of 440 ghats are being planned — 259 existing ghats will be developed and 181 new ones constructed across these districts.
For context, the 2015 Maha Pushkaram recorded approximately 4.86 crore devotees taking a holy dip. Officials expect nearly 1 crore devotees per day in 2027 — a figure that would more than double the peak daily footfall seen in previous editions.
Technology-Driven Safety and Crowd Management
Authorities plan to deploy a suite of advanced technologies to manage the anticipated surge. These include AI-based crowd analytics, CCTV monitoring, drone surveillance, QR-based vehicle identification, and decentralised deployment systems. The scale of tech integration marks a significant upgrade over previous Pushkaram events.
Tourism Circuit and Ancillary Developments
Naidu directed officials to develop a tourism circuit connecting prominent pilgrimage centres in the Godavari belt, including the Shakti Peetham at Pithapuram, the four Pancharama temples, Dwaraka Tirumala, Annavaram, Vadapalli, and Antarvedi. He also suggested promoting homestays and fast-tracking hotel project approvals to boost accommodation capacity.
Additionally, the Chief Minister directed the construction of a convention centre in Rajamahendravaram to host cultural programmes, and called for prominent personalities from across India and abroad to be invited to the Pushkaram. With preparations gaining momentum, the state government's ability to deliver on the ₹4,026 crore infrastructure promise within 10 months will be closely watched.
Point of View
But the arithmetic is daunting: nearly double the footfall of 2015, compressed into a 10-month preparation window, with ₹4,026 crore to be deployed across six districts simultaneously. The AI and drone-based crowd management plan is ambitious, but India's record on technology-led crowd safety at mass gatherings remains uneven. The real test will be whether the ghat infrastructure and transport links can absorb 1 crore devotees on a single day without incident — a threshold no previous Pushkaram has faced. The tourism circuit push is a sound long-term idea, but its delivery within the same 10-month window risks spreading administrative bandwidth too thin.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Godavari Pushkaram 2027?
Godavari Pushkaram 2027 is scheduled to begin on 26 June 2027 in Andhra Pradesh. The 12-yearly festival draws tens of millions of devotees to the banks of the Godavari river for ritual bathing.
How many devotees are expected at Godavari Pushkaram 2027?
Officials expect between 8 and 10 crore devotees to attend the 2027 Pushkaram, with nearly 1 crore taking a holy dip each day at peak. This compares to 4.86 crore total dips recorded during the 2015 Maha Pushkaram.
How much is being spent on Godavari Pushkaram 2027 preparations?
Preparations worth ₹4,026 crore are underway across six districts, with the Finance Department having already allocated ₹899 crore. The largest share — ₹1,869 crore — is earmarked for East Godavari district.
What crowd management measures are planned for Pushkaram 2027?
Authorities plan to use AI-based crowd analytics, CCTV monitoring, drone surveillance, QR-based vehicle identification, and decentralised deployment systems to manage the anticipated surge of up to 1 crore devotees per day.
How many ghats will be available at Godavari Pushkaram 2027?
A total of 440 ghats are planned — 259 existing ghats will be upgraded and 181 new ones constructed across East Godavari, West Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, Kakinada, and Polavaram districts.
