Godavari water level recedes below danger mark

TSRTC bus services yet to resume on Bhadrachalam-Charla route

Although rains have abated in parts of the upper reaches of the Godavari on Thursday, several stretches of the main roads passing through the Bhadrachalam Agency remained submerged, affecting vehicular traffic on the inter-State routes in the border mandals.

The Godavari showed signs of receding at Bhadrachalam with the water level slightly decreasing just below the danger mark of 53 feet on Thursday evening.

However, the TSRTC bus services, the only public transport facility in the tribal region, remained suspended between Bhadrachalam and Charla due to flooding of a portion of the highway at Turubaka in Dummugudem mandal, sources said.

Parnashala, a famous pilgrim centre, in Dummugudem mandal virtually remained out of bounds for devotees from far-off places as the swirling waters inundated pushkar bathing ghats including Sita ghat and some historic sites near the village.

Sources in the public transport entity said the TSRTC bus services will be resumed on the Bhadrachalam-Charla route only after the floodwaters recede completely at Turubaka.

The water level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam hovered around 51.70 feet at 8 p.m. on Thursday. The second flood warning remained in effect for seven mandals including Bhadrachalam.