Latest news with #ChitraPournami
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Special vehicle passes issued to residents on Mada Streets near Arunachaleswara temple to prevent illegal parking
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Tiruvannamalai has began to issue special vehicle passes, mainly for owned cars, for residents living around Mada Streets near Arunachaleswarar temple to prevent illegal parking by tourists on narrow streets and key stretches that result in traffic congestion and accidents. RTO officials said that many cars that have other States registered number plates are parked on narrow streets and key stretches in the town. Such illegal parking by pilgrims has crippled the movement of local vehicles including school vans, ambulances and government buses. 'Police and transport officials can scan special passes on vehicles to know details of its owner, place of residence and other details to check its authenticity. After verification, more passes will be issued in the coming days,' K. Karunanidhi, RTO (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu. Collector K. Tharpagaraj mooted the idea of introducing special vehicle passes for residents around the temple during monthly traffic regulation meetings recently to prevent illegal parking, mostly by pilgrims. On Saturday, Mr. Tharpagaraj launched the initiative by pasting stickers on vehicles owned by residents around Mada Streets. Locals welcomed the initiative taken by the district administration in coordination with police, transport department and HR&CE as part of traffic management in the temple town. 'The new vehicle passes will help restoration of road space around the temple for residents. During emergencies, ambulances can easily access narrow lanes around the temple as the stretches will be free from illegal parking,' said B. Vasanthi, a resident. Transport officials said that as part of the initiative, 13 streets around the temple have been identified. Vehicle owners in these stretches were verified for special passes. Applicants for special passes should submit copies of vehicle registration certificate, insurance, pollution certificate, and aadhar that has the owner's name and address. Physical verification by transport officials will be done if required. Of total 378 applicants, 323 vehicle owners were issued special passes in the first phase. Subsequently, other applications will be scrutinized. Police will seize vehicles that do not have special pass stickers and are parked on identified stretches. At present, Tiruvannamalai town gets around three lakh visitors on Chitra Pournami days and 1.5 lakh tourists on weekends. Most pilgrims, especially from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, come in cabs and own cars to the temple.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Tiruvannamalai Corporation to build multi-level car parks for pilgrims near Arunachaleshwara temple
The Tiruvannamalai Corporation plans to set up multi-level modular car parking facilities, mainly for pilgrims, near the Arunachaleshwara temple to prevent haphazard parking on the town's key stretches and narrow streets. Officials said the civic body had selected at least five spots near Mada Streets around the temple for the new facilities as it would be convenient for visitors to have a place to park their vehicles safely. A nominal fee will be charged for the use of the facilities. 'Modalities of the new facility are being worked out. The estimated cost of the new multi-level parking will be around ₹1 crore,' S. Selva Balaji, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, told The Hindu. At present, Tiruvannamalai town gets around 3 lakh visitors on Chitra Pournami days and 1.5 lakh tourists on weekends. During the Maha Deepam festival last December, around 40 lakh visitors came to the town. Most pilgrims, especially from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, come in cabs and cars. Residents said many cars that had other State number plates were parked on the town's key stretches and narrow streets. Such illegal parking is causing traffic congestion, locals said. 'Most of these vehicles are parked during night to evade traffic police and residents' attention. Due to the blocked roads, ambulances have sometimes had trouble reaching patients during emergencies,' said P. Bhaskan, secretary, Tiruvannamalai All Traders' Association. Officials said that the the parking facilities would afford better utilisation of the available space. The new facility will be modular, which is a detachable one. Such a modular parking facility can be relocated depending on needs during festival seasons, such as Maha Deepam. Most of the open land within civic body limits comes under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department. Revenue officials have also removed encroachments on 9.5 acres, which belongs to the HR and CE Department, on the Girivalam path. A rent-free land will be provided for the new facility. Each facility will have 10 floors with on an average 10 vehicles can be parked on each floor. As per traffic police study, around 200-300 cars come to the town every day on pilgrimage. Such a parking facility will decongest the town and offer more space for both pedestrians and motorists. Other vehicles including tourist vans and buses will be allowed to park on designated temporary parking lots on the outskirts of the town.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- The Hindu
Tiruvannamalai Corporation plans to build OHTs to provide uninterrupted water supply on Girivalam path
The Tiruvannamalai Corporation plans to construct at least two large overhead tanks (OHTs) on 14-km-long Girivalam Path near Arunachaleshwara temple soon to provide uninterrupted water supply to washrooms used by pilgrims along the route. Officials of Tiruvannamalai Corporation said that existing civic amenities, mainly washrooms and water taps, remain inadequate due to the rising number of footfalls to the temple town, especially after the pandemic. 'Water supply especially to washrooms on Girivalam path remains the top priority due to a steady increase in pilgrim flow to the temple town. Water sources are also being identified for the purpose,' S. Selva Balaji, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, told The Hindu. On an average, the town gets around three lakh visitors on Chitra Pournami days and 1.5 lakh tourists on weekends. During Karthigai Deepam festival last December (2024), around 40 lakh visitors attended it on Maha Deepam day alone. Corporation officials said that temple and Girivalam path is covered by Adinamalai reserve forest (RF), which comprises around 900 hectares, and a home for spotted deer, wild boar, peacocks, wild cats and rabbits. Any open defecation on the route will not be unhygienic but also pose a threat to wild species in the forests. On Tuesday, along with Corporation Commissioner Mr. Balaji, Collector K. Tharpagaraj inspected temple, Girivalam path and surrounding areas on providing additional civic amenities to pilgrims. At present, the path has 57 washrooms including 35 of them were built by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). Most of the washrooms are in existence since 2002 when the path got its first batch of four toilets for pilgrims. Since then, mobile washrooms especially during festival seasons were hired on rental basis by the civic body. Corporation officials said that an additional 223 new washrooms on the path will be built in the coming months under CSR initiative by public undertakings like BHEL, NLC and ONGC. In other words, each washroom, on an average, will have a space of 50 metres between each other. The civic body plans to build at least two OHTs at a cost of Rs 30 crore for the purpose. Each tank will have a capacity of one lakh litres. Sathanur dam and Samuthiram lake will provide water for the new facility. Currently, washrooms on the path are maintained with around one MLD (millions of liters per day) of water as against the actual need of four MLD. Borewells remain a key water source for it. The civic body gets around 22 MLD for its domestic needs and other purposes from these two water bodies every day. A small share of water from these water bodies will be diverted to new washrooms on the path, Corporation officials said.
The Star
26-05-2025
- The Star
Teluk Intan Municipal Council reverses decision on vandal after talks with MIC
PETALING JAYA: A man who was arrested for allegedly vandalising the Teluk Intan Municipal Council building has reached an agreement with the council, enabling him to rent the shop lot again. MIC vice president Datuk T. Murugiah stated that the municipal council had initially declined to lease a shop lot to a man named Thevar because of a previous incident in which he reportedly damaged the entrance of the council office. "I held a meeting with the council's president, Zairul Akmal Kasim, during which I explained the situation and appealed for reconsideration. After a positive and constructive discussion, he agreed to allow the shop lot to be rented again to Thevar," said Murugiah in a statement on Monday (May 26). "Furthermore, I respectfully asked the president to consider withdrawing the police report filed against Thevar," he added, noting that the council agreed to consult with the Investigating Officer on the potential withdrawal of the report. ALSO READ: Man nabbed for smashing Teluk Intan Municipal Council building glass doors On May 8, Thevar allegedly used a sledgehammer to damage the council office's entrance because the council erected a tent in front of his watch repair shop during the Chitra Pournami celebration. On the same day, Hilir Perak OCPD Asst Comm Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said that the 63-year-old suspect was taken into custody after a complaint was lodged at 10:35am. "Investigations found that the suspect arrived at the scene on a motorcycle, parked in front of the council's building, and then took a sledgehammer to break the glass doors. "After the incident, the suspect attempted to leave the scene and head to his shop in Jalan Bandar, Teluk Intan, but was apprehended and handed over to the police," he said.
The Star
20-05-2025
- The Star
FRU crash: Widow says still coming to terms with loss, emotional state still fragile
IPOH: The widow of one of the FRU personnel who died in a crash in Teluk Intan last week is still coming to terms with her loss, describing her emotional state as fragile as she learns to navigate life without her husband. In a heartfelt interview, 32-year-old Noor Hasliza Mohd Hadzri, the wife of the late Kpl Muhamad Akmal Muhamad, 35, said while she has accepted her husband's passing, the process of adjusting to a new reality has been far from easy. The mother of two said emotionally she is not stable yet, and that because his passing was so sudden, it would take some time for her to truly accept it. 'But I have come to terms with it, that he had passed in a very good way. 'I recall the moment I identified my husband's body, there was a sense of peace that surrounded him even in death. 'Even though there was still blood during the identification process, he already smelled fragrant,' she told reporters after Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad paid her a visit at her house in Bandar Baru Putra near here Tuesday (May 20). Her in-laws Muhamad Razali, 63 and Ruzita Razali, 59 were also by her side. Her two children Mohamad Adam Harris, 6, and Nur Aqeela Nadine, one -year- two-months-old, were at school and a babysitter, respectively. Noor Hasliza, who works in the administration department at the Ipoh district police headquarters said she would now need to adapt to a new routine and environment without her husband. She said her son is beginning to accept that his father is no longer around. 'When I ask him, he will say, 'Babah has passed away, Babah is in heaven'. 'Sometimes he goes quiet, and when I notice that, I will ask him, 'Are you okay? Don't be sad. If you are sad, recite Al-Fatihah'. 'But the younger one, I notice that she seems to be looking for him, like she is searching for him. 'She keeps whining and saying 'Babah', and looking for him,' she added. Noor Hasliza added that she had kept her husband's strap from his uniform, the one with his name and the FRU logo on it, and the last T-shirt that he wore. 'I washed the blood out of that shirt and kept it,' she added. On May 13, the incident occurred when a truck carrying 18 FRU Unit 5 members based in Sungai Senam, Ipoh, collided with a gravel-laden lorry that veered into the opposite lane. The collision resulted in eight FRU members dying at the scene and one succumbing to injuries at Teluk Intan Hospital, while nine others were injured, some critically. During the incident, the FRU vehicle was returning to Ipoh along with six other FRU vehicles after completing duties for the Chitra Pournami festival in Teluk Intan.
