Encroachments around Arunachaleswarar temple demolished for Karthigai Deepam

Encroachments, mainly roadside outlets and extensions of existing shops, in all four Mada streets surrounding Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town were demolished on Wednesday to provide more road space for pilgrims during the Karthigai Deepam festival, which is being celebrated till December 7.

State Highways officials, who are carrying out the demolition drive, said that besides the Mada streets around the temple, illegal structures on the 14-km Girivalam trail are also being demolished as the footfall of devotees is expected to increase in the coming days ahead of the illumination of the trail. Maha Deepam on December 3. The whole work will be finished in a day or two. Along with Highways officials, Collector K. Tharpagaraj and Tiruvannamalai Corporation Commissioner S. Selva Balaji inspected the demolition drive around the temple.

“More space on the road will help senior citizens and children walk safely around the temple and Girivalam path. The entire stretch will be restored to its original width,” S. Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), State Highways, told IPS. The Hindu.

Most violations are located on the newly constructed rainwater drains. Two-wheelers and bicycles are parked on the carriageway of these stretches, blocking the easy movement of pedestrians towards the temple and surrounding areas.

“Providing more space on the road is a welcome measure as pedestrians, mostly devotees, find it difficult to walk safely on the stretches due to the makeshift shops,” said K. Pavithra, a devotee.

Highways officials said around three lakh visitors come to the city Chitra Pournami to dawn. The number of visitors increases to 40 lakh persons on the Maha Deepam day when no vehicles, including two-wheelers, are allowed to enter the city due to the huge flow of devotees.

The ongoing work on constructing concrete carriageways in Mada streets is nearing completion. It is expected to provide much-needed relief to devotees, who have to walk through the pothole-ridden stretch to reach the temple. The Highways Department is carrying out the work at a cost of ₹15 crore.