Elaborate arrangements have been made at the Sri Dhandayuthapani Swami Temple at Palani ahead of the Thai Poosam festival, said Collector M. Vijayalakshmi here on Tuesday.
Presiding over a coordination committee meeting on the arrangements to be made, in which officials from various departments were present, she said that the administration would follow the guidelines prescribed by the State government in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and standard operating procedure would be in place.
Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer Kranti Kumar Pati said that the festival would begin with the holy flag hoisting on January 22 at 7 a.m. He said that the HR & CE department officials had made elaborate arrangements for the devotees on padayatra and by other means to the shrine.
Devotees can access www.tnhrce.gov.in website for special darshan tickets. Special counters would start functioning at Oddanchatram, Thoppampatti and at the Women’s College kavadi mandapam where devotees, coming by padayatra, could purchase tickets. Apart from the existing toll free number - 18004249925, the department would have two more phone numbers and a special control room would function round the clock till the festival was over on January 31.
The DIG of Police M S Muthusamy said that 12 watch towers would be installed at different locations for better view of crowd and its management. He said that 40 two-wheeler and 22 four-wheeler patrol teams would be deployed from Dindigul district borders for safety of padayatra devotees.
Reflector badges would be distributed so that moving vehicles can identify devotees trekking during night. For this purpose, about three lakh badges and another three lakh masks would be procured and distributed.
The police have identified high density points and planned to stagger the crowd. For this purpose, a large posse of police personnel would be deployed. The fire and rescue service teams would be present at Idumbankulam and Shanmuganadhi where devotees would take a holy dip. In view of the COVID-19, the number of ‘mandahapadis’ would be restricted to 50 only and the hosts would be directed to coordinate with the police while distributing food packets.
The police would be stationed at vantage locations till the celebrations concluded on January 31 with a float festival, the Collector said.
