ALUVA: Preparations for the Sivaratri Festival has reached its completion at Sivarathri Manappuram at Aluva. The sands of the Manappuram is all set to welcome more than 15 lakh devotees who will arrive here on Tuesday to offer ‘balitharppanam’ to their forefathers. All possible facilities have been set up to ensure that the devotees have a hassle free experience, said municipality and devaswom officials. The temporary bridge, that cost around `35 lakh, has been set up across Periyar river from Kottarakadavu.
“Several lakh devotees will be reaching the Manappuram from Kochi and Perumbavoor side. The bridge will be a great help for all such visitors. We have also provided insurance facilities for those using the bridges, so that they can claim the amount in case of any untoward incidences. There will be no compromise on issues related to law and order, as 1,500 police officials, 6 DySPs all operating under the DCP will be deployed round the clock. There will also be a dedicated control room to keep an eye on the 20 CCTV cameras set up around the place,” said M T Jacob.
“To ensure proper lightings, we have set up 3,000 bulbs and 600 tube lights in the Manappuram vicinity. We have also set up proper drinking water facilities for the devotees,” said Aluva municipality chairman M T Jacob.
The drinking water facilities have been provided at 14 points in the area. There have been instances of drunkards disrupting the function in the past years. “To prevent such anti social activities, we have requested the state government to declare the day as a dry day from 2:00 pm on the 17th to 2:00 pm the next day,” said M T Jacob.
Officials from both the Devaswom Board and the municipality will be camping near Manappuram to ensure their active intervention in case of any untoward incidents. “In the morning of the 17th, we will be holding a council at Manappuram and will be present there afterwards to intervene at a moment’s notice to any problem,” said municipality chairman M T Jacob. Two watch towers have also been erected in the area to observe the movement of the devotees.
The Devaswom Board has done its part by setting up 200 ‘balitharas’ on the southern side of the temple.
“We have set up drinking water facilities and will provide ‘Appam and Aravana’ for the devotees. `30 will be charged for a ‘Tharpan’. All that remains to be done now is to complete the setting up of barricades near the area,” said a Devaswom official.