TIRUVANNAMALAI: The district administration has launched a drive against encroachments in and around the world famous Sree Arunachaleswarar Temple and along the 14 km Girivalam path to ensure the free movement of devotees coming to the temple town to offer prayers and perform ‘girivalam’ on Chithra Pournami.
According to the tahsildar of Tiruvannamalai K Ravichandran, the revenue officials have evicted the encroachments in and around Rajagopuram Street, Vadakku Madaveethi, Therkku Madaveethi, Thirumanjunagopuram Street, Sivagangai Theerthakula Street, Chengam-Tiruvannamalai Road and the Grivialam path adjacent to the Tiruvannamalai Government Arts College and Government Hospital.
“The drive against encroachment is going on for the fourth consecutive day. We have removed all the encroachments along most parts of the Girivalam path,” he said.
Ravichandran added that the drive against encroachments would continue on Monday in Venkigal, Kosalai and Adi Annamalai areas.
“The eviction was aimed to help pilgrims perform Girivalam without hinderance and enable the free flow of traffic on Chithra Pournami,” said Collector Anshul Mishra.
1,500 cops on Chithra Pournami day
The Tiruvannamalai Police Department is planning to rope in 1,500 personnel for traffic management and crime prevention during Chithra Pournami celebrations, that would attract around 10 lakh devotees from across Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states, said Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Vellore Range, M T Ganesamoorthy.
Talking to media persons shortly after visiting the Sree Arunachelaswarar Temple on Saturday, Ganesamoorthy said, “We are expecting around 12 lakh pilgrims to visit the temple town to offer prayers in the temple and perform Grivilam on Chithra Pournami, which falls on May 5, 2012. So, we have decided to deploy 13 units of police personnel, with each unit consisting 120 personnel.”