Thousands will converge at the Aluva sand banks where the Mahasivarathri celebrations will begin from the early hours of Thursday.
All around the sand banks, the Travancore Devaswom Board had made arrangements for the devotees to arrive smoothly and pay obeisance to ancestors. The sandbanks of the Periyar River attached to the Mahadeva Temple wore a festive look on Wednesday evening, with people already arriving and camping on the sand banks.
The TDB has sanctioned 300 ‘bali tharas’ at the venue and about 3000 people can offer their obeisance at a time. The Aluva Municipality, as part of Sivarathri, has organised a three-week trade festival. The temporary iron bridge that will take the people to the sand banks will be toll free for two days from Thursday.
About 1,500 police personnel would provide security cover to the rituals and celebrations. Five police watch towers will be functioning 24x7. Service of swimmers and experts from the Navy and police force along with support facilities such as boats and life jackets would be made available at the river banks. There will be no sale of liquor in the town.
The traffic police have brought in some regulations beginning Thursday 3 p.m. to Friday 11 a.m.
Traffic regulationVehicles will have to take the road from Seminarypady to GCDA to reach in front of the Ayurveda Hospital and then proceed to the sandbank. The KSRTC bus services from Angamali- Paravur have to take the Seminarypady-GCDA road to Ayurveda hospital and then take the new GCDA road to the KSRTC bus stand at Manappuram.
No vehicles will be allowed from Thottakkatukara junction to Manappuram.
Buses from Varapuzha, Edayar have to turn left at Thottakkatukara junction. People should get off there and the buses can go back via Paravurkavala, UC College-Kadungallur Road.
Private buses from Angamaly have to end the trip at the test ground near Paravurkavala.
KSRTC and private buses heading to Aluva from Ernakulam through the national highway have to take the service road from Pulinchode junction and reach the private stand via market. KSRTC buses from Perumbavoor will have to terminate the trip at the temporary stand in front of the M.G. Town Hall.
