Addressing a special meeting held here on Tuesday, he advised the officials to remove all encroachments around the temple. He also asked the police to distribute reflecting sticks to pilgrims walking at night hours to ensure their safety. Pilgrims should use the walkers path and avoid using highways, he added.
Kavadi mandapams near Ayakudi, Oddanchatram and Reddiyarchatram would be kept ready and thatched shelters would be erected at 42 places on the highways connecting the temple town with nearby districts. The Railways would operate special trains to Palani from Palghat, Dindigul, Tiruchi, Thanjavur. The State Transport Corporation would also operate special buses to Palani from Dindigul and nearby districts, he added.
Sufficient toilet facilities and basic amenities would be provided at Idumban temple, elephant path, south giri veedhi, winch car ground station and north giri veedhis. Two temporary toilets would also be set up at Periyanayaki Amman Temple and near the rope car ground station. A first aid centre would also be set up at Kudamuzhukku mandapam and ambulance van kept ready at Sri Padhavinayagar temple and at the winch station.
Separate path to climb the hill was created at Kudamuzhukku Mandapam to avoid congestion. The stairway that starts at Sri Padha Vinayagar Temple would be used by the pilgrims to climb down from the hill. On the hill, separate halls would be provided for pilgrims waiting for special darshan and VIP dharshan. Separate queues would also be formed for free darshan. All three groups would enter the hill temple in three directions, he added.
Municipal officials said that sufficient sanitary workers would be deployed for taking up the cleaning work in the temple town.
