THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Traffic restrictions will be in place in the city on Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm in view of the visit of Indian National Congress president Rahul Gandhi as part of the concluding ceremony of UDF’s state rally ‘Padayorukkam’.
The city police informed that parking would be restricted along the stretches of Kovalam, Vellar, Vazhamuttom, Thiruvallam, Poonthura, SM Lock, Kumarichantha, Kallummoodu, Enchakkal, Chackai, All Saints, Shanghumugham, Pettah, Pattoor, General Hospital, Asan Square, G V Raja and R R Lamp from 10 am to 1 pm.
From 2 pm to 8 pm, the traffic and parking will be restricted along the stretches of G V Raja, R R Lamp, Museum, Vellayambalam, Althara, Vazhuthacaud, Xanadu, Thycaud stretch, Public Library, Nandavanam, RBI, Bakery, Jacobs, Gate-4 stretch and Underpass- Asan square, General Hospital, Pettah, Chackai, All Saints- Shanghumugham- Airport road.
Instructions for rally vehicles
Vehicles ferrying the rally participants from Neyyattinkara and Parassala side should drop them at Manjalikulam ground by coming via Karamana -Killippalam. Vehicles from Nedumangad, Peroorkada, Aruvikkara and Vattiyoorkavu side should drop the rally participants near University Library.
after coming via Kowdiar-Kuravankonam- Plamoodu- PMG- G V Raja- R R Lamp- Martyr’s Column and VJT Hall. The vehicles should be parked on either sides of NH-66 bypass at Enchakkal.
Vehicles from Malayinkeezhu and Kattakada side should drop the participants near Housing Board Junction after coming via Poojappura-Jagathy-Music College-Model School junction and Housing Board junction. The vehicles can be parked at Poojappura ground.
Vehicles from Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Varkala, Chirayinkeezhu and Attingal side should drop the participants at Asan Square after coming via NH bypass or coastal road and can be parked on the service roads of NH bypass at Enchakkal.
Traffic diversions
Vehicles coming from Mukkola to the city should take a turn at Venganoor to proceed via Pallichal and Pappanamcode. Small vehicles coming from Kazhakooottam should have to either deviate from Kuzhivila junction or Venpalavattom junction. Heavy vehicles, including KSRTC buses coming from Kazhakoottam should proceed via Kariyavattom and Sreekariyam to reach the city.
Vehicles coming from Thycaud to proceed to Vazhuthacaud should take a turn at Thampanoor flyover and go via Model School, Panavila, and Bakery junction.
The vehicles parked at the various points in the city should keep the contact numbers of drivers or cleaners visibly on the vehicles. Else, the vehicles will be towed away using recovery vehicles without notice, police said.
For suggestions and queries, Contact: 0471- 2558731, 0471-2558732.
Rahul to now woo fishermen in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
NEW DELHI: Gujarat campaign over, Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi will shift his focus down south by visiting cyclone-hit fishermen in Tamil Nadu and Kerala on December 14. The shift of focus comes on a day Gujarat will have its second phase of polling on Thursday. Rahul wrapped up his campaign on December 12.
According to party sources, the visits to cyclone-hit fishermen in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is part of the larger plan the Congress leader has to tap the community votes. He recently floated a new department in the AICC, which will work with fishermen across the country. A similar interaction was organised in Porbandar in Gujarat during his campaign.
Rahul will start the day by meeting fishermen in Poonthura and Vizhingam in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and fly to interact with fishermen at St Jude’s College Ground, Chinnathurai in district Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
Later in the day, Rahul will attend an inaugural function related to birth centenary celebrations of Late Baby John at Police Ground, Thaikkad in Thiruvananthpuram, and end his visit by addressing a rally to mark of the culmination of Padayorukkam, a foot march led by UDF chairman and leader of the opposition in the state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, at the Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.
The march is a Congress attempt to reorganise in Kerala where it lost power to the LDF in 2016. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy and party’s Lok Sbha member Shashi Tharoor are expected to attend Rahul’s show, which comes days after he was named Congress president-elect. However, Tamil Nadu continues to be a tough terrain for the Congress, where it has been a small player for long and mainly depends on ally DMK.
(With inputs from Amit Agnihotri)