THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ahead of the Attukal Pongala, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh and other corporation officials visited the ongoing tarring works in seven wards of the corporation on Saturday. “The corporation had instructed them to complete the work by February 15. With Sivarathri falling on Sunday, work got slightly delayed, but everything will be wrapped up before Wednesday,” Rajesh told TNIE.
The mayor’s office informed that the instructions for time-bound completion of road work were given in the first Pongala preparatory meeting of the council, followed by multiple public works standing committee sessions for tender proceedings.
“Earlier, the tarring works used to be completed a day or two ahead of the festival, causing inconvenience to the public. But this time, works are getting completed more than two weeks ahead of the event,” the mayor said. He also added that the last minute works never provided time to ensure quality for the completed work.
Tarring works as part of the festival are currently proceeding in 29 wards, of which officials have visited seven wards, including key areas such as Konchiravila, Kalippankulam, Kalady, and Pappanamcode. “Further inspection visits will take place in the coming days,” the mayor informed. He was also accompanied by deputy mayor G S Asha Nath, standing committee chairpersons G S Manju, Karamana Ajith, Chempazhanthy Udayan, other councillors, assistant engineer, executive engineer and overseers from the areas concerned.
However, office-bearers of the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust remarked that the corporation’s works are proceeding just like in the years before. “Usually, tarring works happen at this pace. The area which needs patchwork is less than in the years before,” a trust official said. The official also expected that the street light work would also be completed soon, as the devotee crowd will increase in the coming days.
“The Pongala work proceedings are being regularly monitored by Minister V Sivankutty and Collector Anu Kumari. Along with these, the state departments, including PWD, KWA and KSEB, are also reviewing the progress,” a trust member said.
Other preparatory works from the side of the trust are in the last lap and are expected to be completed by February 20. Others, including the verification of shop and food safety licences, and distribution of health cards for small-scale vendors, will be done in the coming days. The Pongala festival will be a no-plastic event.
The Attukal Temple Festival will begin with the kappukettu event at 5.30pm. A public function, which will be attended by actor Mohanlal, will be held at 8pm on the same day. The Pongala is scheduled on March 3.