Kallazhagar’s entry into river under watchful eyes

Technology used in surveillance, crowd management

May 04, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 09:32 am IST - MADURAI:

The surveillance camera mounted atop a police vehicle that moves closeto the idol of Lord Kallazhagar during 'Edhir Sevai' near DRO Colonyin the city on Sunday.— Photo: G. Moorthy

The surveillance camera mounted atop a police vehicle that moves closeto the idol of Lord Kallazhagar during 'Edhir Sevai' near DRO Colonyin the city on Sunday.— Photo: G. Moorthy

For the next 48 hours beginning Monday morning, the ‘temple’ city is expected to have a floating population of close to over a million criss-crossing the routes to be taken by Lord Kallazhagar.

Devotees from far and near have started pouring in and taking vantage positions to have a glimpse of the presiding deity of Alagarkoil temple, who will enter Vaigai river between 6.45 a.m. and 7 a.m. mounted on a golden horse.

All roads in the city and its peripheries are leading to the northern part of city – towards one direction where Lord Kallazhagar would be moving around.

As part of the annual Chithirai festival, after the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar is performed, unfolds the major event of the entry of Lord Kallazhagar into the Vaigai.

With the number of devotees arriving to witness the festivities increasing year after year, the task of crowd management has become a challenge, police say.

Thanks to the presence of technology, the city police were geared up to take the pressure, said Inspector General and Commissioner of Police (Madurai City) Shailesh Kumar Yadav.

Speaking to The Hindu on Sunday, the CoP said that elaborate arrangements had been made, considering the volume of inflow of devotees. “We have planned in such a way that there is no compromise on security and safety aspects. With an eye on preventing crimes, very many measures have been taken,” he added.

A strong, trained team would be closely moving with the deity all through the event, while a mobile police vehicle fitted with high-definition surveillance camera, which would move in front of Lord Kallazhagar, would be monitoring pictures of devotees coming closer to the deity. This was basically to gauge the “crowd behaviour” and a scientific method to ensure secure movement at every point.

At any given location, the large number of devotees wearing and displaying their valuables might attract robbers and thieves. Hence, with a view to preventing crimes, plainclothes men and women would be moving along with the crowd.

In case of any trouble, the police would reach the spot immediately and nab the criminals. This would discourage the robbers from indulging in crimes, Mr. Shailesh said.

Those who were well-versed with Whatsapp and Facebook, could reach the Madurai City police in case of any emergencies, and such information was directly monitored by senior officers.

LED screens

For the first time, mega LED screens have been fitted at five different locations for the benefit of the devotees to witness the procession of Lord Kallazhagar. The places are the playground of Tallakulam Prasanna Venkatachalapathi Temple, Super Tailor building complex at Goripalayam, A.V. Bridge facing Sellur, the southern riverbed and a place near Obulapadithurai police check-post.

These LED screens will enable the devotees to sit and watch the deity without much inconvenience.

Moreover, with such an arrangement, the crowd management will become easy for the police as concentration of the entire crowd at one particular point will be avoided.

Though the police had announced diversions for vehicle movement, they would be prone to changes from time to time and from point to point, depending on the movement of the deity, a traffic police officer at Goripalayam said, adding until the deity left the city limits, there would be a little inconvenience for the public.

Close to 5,000 police personnel were on bandobust duty in the city, and close to 2,000 of them would be handling the crowd at the Vaigai entry point. Specialised groups like BDDS, (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad), Dog Squad, Crime team and those deployed on surveillance to watch from specially erected watchtowers had also been roped in.

Having successfully managed crowds the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar on April 30, senior officers hoped to repeat the performance for the next five days, the police said.

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