Large crowds flocked to the famous Kotappakonda shrine in Palnadu district on February 15 and 16 for Mahasivaratri. Devotees from Palnadu, Bapatla, Guntur, and nearby areas arrived in tractors and vehicles, turning the hill shrine into a sea of people. Palnadu Superintendent of Police B. Krishna Rao told The Hindu that almost 2 lakh people took darshan at Kotappakonda. About 10 lakh people watched the electric and regular chariot processions. Over 25,000 vehicles, including two-wheelers, cars, tractors, and maxi trucks, gathered at the temple town. Authorities provided 120 shuttle buses for hill access and 530 buses from nearby towns for smooth travel. Mr. Krishna Rao said there was "absolutely no communication gap" between police and the district administration in managing the event. This year, the usual VIP darshan passes were replaced with online paid tickets that had fixed time slots. This change helped control crowds and was praised by pilgrims and leaders. Nearly 100 acres of endowment land served as parking space, well-lit and with special exit routes to avoid traffic jams. Extra exit roads were prepared and equipped with lighting and culverts to ease the early morning rush after 3 a.m. CCTV cameras and drones kept watch on queues and traffic. Drone briefings, radium markers, clear signs, and GPS mapping helped on-ground teams manage the huge gathering safely and smoothly. The festival passed without any major incidents, making it a well-handled event.