Attukal Pongala: Preparations underway
tnn | Feb 2, 2019, 23:40 ISTThiruvananthapuram: Minister for devaswom Kadakampally Surendran has directed all stakeholders connected with Attukal Pongala to complete the preparations in 10 days. The minister also stressed the importance of implementing a completely plastic-free pongala this year.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Vinod V R has been named as the nodal officer to ensure smooth flow of festivities. The minister made the declarations during the third meeting held to review the arrangements of Attukal Pongala. Mayor V K Prasanth, city police commissioner S Surendran, MLA V S Sivakumar, councillors and concerned department representatives attended the meeting.
According to the minister, works regarding the renovation and construction of roads and clearance of sewerages across all 31 wards, which comes under the festival area will be undertaken on a war footing. “Registration will be mandatory for groups who want to provide free food (annadanam) and drinking water in a bid to ensure the implementation of the green protocol,” he said.
City commissioner S Surendran said that 3,500 police personnel would be deployed in the festival venue. “Around 2,000 women officers will handle the security at both the temple and the surroundings. Special squads will also be deployed to prevent incidents like pickpocketing and chain snatching. In addition to this, bike patrolling squads, cctv cameras and drones will also be available to monitor the situation during the Pongala. The roads from PRS Junction leading all the way via Bund Road to Attukal Temple will be cordoned off with security barriers,” he said.
The minister also said the arrangements to utilize the leftover bricks to build houses for underprivileged families would be made this time as well. City mayor V K Prasanth said around 2,250 cleaning workers would be deployed to handle the cleaning work after pongala.
Special KSRTC and train services will be available on the Pongala day. February 20 has been declared as a holiday in the city. tnn
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Vinod V R has been named as the nodal officer to ensure smooth flow of festivities. The minister made the declarations during the third meeting held to review the arrangements of Attukal Pongala. Mayor V K Prasanth, city police commissioner S Surendran, MLA V S Sivakumar, councillors and concerned department representatives attended the meeting.
According to the minister, works regarding the renovation and construction of roads and clearance of sewerages across all 31 wards, which comes under the festival area will be undertaken on a war footing. “Registration will be mandatory for groups who want to provide free food (annadanam) and drinking water in a bid to ensure the implementation of the green protocol,” he said.
City commissioner S Surendran said that 3,500 police personnel would be deployed in the festival venue. “Around 2,000 women officers will handle the security at both the temple and the surroundings. Special squads will also be deployed to prevent incidents like pickpocketing and chain snatching. In addition to this, bike patrolling squads, cctv cameras and drones will also be available to monitor the situation during the Pongala. The roads from PRS Junction leading all the way via Bund Road to Attukal Temple will be cordoned off with security barriers,” he said.
The minister also said the arrangements to utilize the leftover bricks to build houses for underprivileged families would be made this time as well. City mayor V K Prasanth said around 2,250 cleaning workers would be deployed to handle the cleaning work after pongala.
Special KSRTC and train services will be available on the Pongala day. February 20 has been declared as a holiday in the city. tnn
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