NAGAPATTINAM: The state authorities and telecom providers have scaled up infrastructure to tackle the massive influx of pilgrims for the annual festival of Our Lady of Health which commenced in Velankanni on Saturday.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Kumbakonam) is operating 4,230 special buses round-the-clock. These services will connect Velankanni with major towns across the region until September 9. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has boosted mobile and internet connectivity throughout the town by installing a temporary Cell on Wheels (COW BTS) tower.
The special bus services are being operated to Velankanni from Chennai, Dindigul, Madurai, Tiruchy, Manapparai, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Poondi Matha Church, Oriyur, Chidambaram, Puducherry, Mayiladuthurai, Pattukottai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Nagore and Karaikal. Services are also available from Velankanni to these destinations for pilgrims returning home. BSNL has installed the COW BTS tower on Chetty Street on the advice of Nagapattinam Collector K J Praveen Kumar. The tower was inaugurated by Thanjavur general manager Bala Chandra Sena and is expected to further improve mobile coverage in Velankanni during the festival.