TIRUVANNAMALAI: The Karthigai Maha Deepam festival scheduled to be celebrated on Wednesday with nearly 20 lakh devotees expected to visit the temple town to participate in the festival is gearing up with elaborate arrangements.
The district administration has, for the first time, employed lifeguards on standby, around the several Theertha Kulam along the Girivalam path for any emergency as they are brimming with water following incessant rain. “A diver will be deployed for each pond to respond to any emergency,” Collector A Gnanasekaran told Express.
Eleven temporary bus stops and 54 car parking points have been established on the outskirts of the town to ensure free movement of devotees along the Girivalam path and the temple area.
Fourteen medical camps and three mobile medical teams have been set up along the Girivalam path to attend to any medical emergency. A 24-hour medical camp has also been established inside the temple.
“We have identified 11 routes that have less traffic to reach the Government Hospital in the town at the earliest. We have also stationed 21 ambulances at various locations to help devotees in need of medical care to reach the nearby hospitals without delay,” said the collector.
ADGP J K Tripathy will supervise the security arrangements. A total of 8,000 police personnel along with volunteers will be engaged in crowd management and crime control measures. A total of 54 CCTVs will be installed at strategic points to monitor movement and traffic management. Police personnel in the control room will assist policemen on the field to ensure the safety of the devotees. A total of 34 ‘May I Help You’ booths have also been set up manned by police personnel to help the pilgrims. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will also be in place in and around the Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple.