Vijayawada: The Durga temple administration in Vijayawada has ordered a comprehensive technical audit of all temple structures following an incident where a nine-year-old girl sustained minor injuries from a falling slab fragment along the old steps route. The incident occurred on Friday around 8 am, when Sneha, a resident of Guntur district, was struck on the head by a piece of slab from an old structure.
Immediate Response and Medical Care
Temple authorities clarified that the girl was immediately taken to the temple's first aid centre after the slab fragment fell. Officials stated that she was later sent to the government general hospital as a precautionary measure and is currently safe. The administration denied allegations of negligence, emphasizing that medical staff responded promptly. According to the temple administration, the family continued with darshan after receiving first aid treatment before proceeding to the hospital.
Details of the Incident
The damaged slab belonged to a nearly 50-year-old structure located along the old steps pathway. Following the incident, access to the route was temporarily halted, and repair works were initiated immediately. The temple's executive officer confirmed that the endowments department has directed a detailed technical audit of all civil and electrical structures within the temple premises through a certified agency to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Medical Staff Shortage
The clarification also revealed that the temple had requested two MBBS doctors on deputation for its first aid centre, but only one doctor has joined duty so far. Officials have sent additional requests to the health department seeking more medical staff. The temple administration reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of all devotees and visitors.
About the Author
Vidya Dusi is a Senior Digital Content Creator at The Times of India, Vijayawada. She reports on education, civic issues, and endowments, with an interest in human-interest stories and emerging developments across Andhra Pradesh.
