T'puram: 4,000 cops for Attukal Pongala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city police have made elaborate arrangements for the mega event of Attukal Pongala on March 7. For the first phase of duty, that is for the ‘Pongala Uthsavam’ days from February 28 to March 6, thousands of policemen, including women police, would be deployed for duty. For the second phase - on March 6 and the day of Pongala on March 7  - more than 4,000 police personnel would be assigned.“That will include 16 DySPs, 32 Circle Inspectors, seven women CIs, 128 Sub-Inspectors and 32 women SIs, along with Civil Police Officers,” said a press release issued by the Fort Assistant Commissioner here on Monday. The team will be on duty on March 6 morning onwards.There will be a control room functioning on the Attukal Temple premises from the first day of the festival and two additional control rooms will be there at Padassery Bridge near Bund Road and Gandhi Park at East Fort. From the first day of the festival, 14 aid posts will be functioning in the nearby areas of the temple. As many as 33 pickets, 25 foot patrols, four jeep patrols and seven bike patrols have been arranged for the event.To prevent chain-snatching, theft etc, more than 28 surveillance cameras will be installed on the temple premises and nearby areas and the control rooms on the temple premises and in the City police office would observe the proceedings through the cameras day and night.Devotees who visit the temple would pass through the queue complex, which starts from the parking ground in front of the temple. KSRTC buses which would ply between East Fort and Attukal during the ‘Uthsavam’ days would take the normal route to the temple and would return via Padassery Bridge and Killippalam Bund Road. It is a step to avoid traffic blocks on Manacaud - Attukal road.Those who carry ‘vilakkukettu’ to the Temple should give their name and address at the Fort AC office and inform the route through which they would carry the ‘vilakkukettu.’The release said that the installation of arch and construction of stage on roadsides near the temple are strictly prohibited as per  High Court order. Legal action would be taken against those who would use more speakers than allowed by the police.Extortion of money by voluntary organisations and clubs in the name of the festival is prohibited. Those who want to distribute food and water to the devotees on the day of the Pongala should get prior permission from the Corporation health inspector and have to inform the office of Fort AC. The release said that devotees should avoid carrying valuable items to the temple.