5 months ago
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Encroachments, mostly roadside outlets and extensions of existing shops, connected each 4 Mada Streets astir Arunachaleswarar Temple successful Tiruvannamalai municipality were demolished connected Wednesday to supply much roadworthy abstraction for pilgrims during Karthigai Deepam festival, which volition beryllium celebrated till December 7.
Officials of State Highways, which is executing the demolition drive, said that isolated from Mada Streets astir the temple, amerciable structures connected the 14-km-long Girivalam way are besides being demolished arsenic the footfall of devotees is expected to summation successful the coming days up of the lighting of the Maha Deepam on December 3. The full enactment volition beryllium completed successful a time oregon two. Along with Highways’ officials, Collector K. Tharpagaraj and Tiruvannamalai Corporation Commissioner S. Selva Balaji inspected the demolition thrust astir the temple.
“More roadworthy abstraction volition assistance elder citizens and children to locomotion safely astir the temple and the Girivalam path. The full agelong volition beryllium restored to its archetypal width,” S. Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), State Highways, told The Hindu.
Most of the encroachments are located connected the recently constructed stormwater drains. Two-wheelers and cycles are parked connected the carriageway of these stretches, thereby blocking the casual question of pedestrians to the temple and its surrounding areas.
“Providing much roadworthy abstraction is simply a invited measurement arsenic pedestrians, mostly devotees, conflict to locomotion safely connected the stretches owed to make-shift shops,” said K. Pavithra, a devotee.
Highways’ officials said that astir 3 lakh visitors travel to the municipality on Chitra Pournami days. The footfall increases to 40 lakh persons connected the Maha Deepam day, erstwhile nary vehicles, including two-wheelers, are allowed to participate the municipality owed to the immense travel of devotees.
The ongoing factual carriageway laying enactment connected Mada streets is nearing completion. It is expected to supply the much-needed alleviation for devotees, who person to locomotion connected the pothole-ridden agelong to scope the temple. The Highways Department is executing the enactment astatine a outgo of ₹15-crore.
