Elaborate security arrangements had been made for the pageantry to be taken out from Vellayambalam to East Fort on Monday to mark the conclusion of Kerala Tourism’s state-level Onam celebrations.
The city police will deploy 1280 police personnel to take care of the estimated 12 lakh people who are expected to throng the arterial road to view the pageantry.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), 890 police constables, 89 women police constables, 84 Sub Inspectors, 4 Women Sub Inspectors, 16 Circle Inspectors and 13 Assistant Commissioners of Police will be on duty in the city from Monday afternoon.
In addition, 100 plainclothesmen will be deployed enroute the pageantry to keep a tab on the anti-socials and prevent chain snatching, theft and eve-teasing. The city police have also installed 22 closed circuit cameras at vantage points along the five-km route to monitor the crowd movement and nab those who indulge in crime.
As a record 85 floats are expected to participate in the pageantry this year, Mr. Gopalakrishnan said the traffic restrictions will be imposed in the city from 1 p.m., once the floats move to the starting point at Vellayambalam. The restrictions will be in place till the pageantry ends.
Traffic restrictions
All the vehicles, including KSRTC buses, coming via NH 47 from Attingal to Thampanoor will have to deviate and move along Ulloor, Medical College, Kumarapuram, Nalumukku, Patoor, and General Hospital, Asan Square, Underpass and Bakery junction to reach the destination.
The vehicles coming via M. C. road to the city will be diverted from Paruthipara and will have to move along Muttada, Vayalikada, Ambalamukku, Olampara, Piipanmoodu, Sasthamangalam, Edapazhanji and Vazhuthacaud to reach Thampanooor.
All vehicles from Nedumangad side to Thampanoor will have to turn left from Peroorkada and move along Olampara, Sasthamangalam, Edapazhanji and Vazhuthacaud,
Those vehicles coming from Pettah side will have to move along Patoor, General Hospital, Asan Square, Underpass and Bakery junction to reach Thampanoor. The vehicles coming from Thiruvallom side will have to move along Attakulangara, Killipalam and the Flyover to reach Thampanoor.
The vehicles proceeding from Thampanoor to NH 47 and M.C. road will have to move via the Bakery junction, Underpass, Asan Square and PMG junction to Pattom. The vehicles from East Fort and Thampanoor to Peroorkada and Thirumala side will be diverted via Attakulangara, Killipalam, Choorakattupalayam, Flyover, Mettukada, Xanadu, Vazhuthucaud, SMC and Edapazhanji.
Those vehicles from East Fort to Pettah side will have to move along Vettimurchakotta, Vazhapally, Mitranandapuram, Fort hospital, Kaithamukku, Vanchiyoor and Pettah and those from Thampanoor to Thiruvallom will have to move along the Flyover, Killipalam, Attakulangara and Manacaud. All the vehicles from Thampanoor to Pappanamcode will have to follow the existing route.
Parking lots
All vehicles in which the public come to see the pageantry should be parked on one side of the Museum-Nandavanam, Manaveeyam, Kanaka Nagar, PMG-Barton Hill, Press Club roads. The other parking lots are the University college premises, Government Sanskrit college premises, behind TRIDA’s Saphalyam complex, Tagore theatre premises, Killipalam bund road and Enchakkal bypass road.
Parking will not be allowed on East Fort-Vellayambalam stretch and on the roads through which the traffic is being diverted, according to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic (North sub-division), K.S. Sreekumar.
KSRTC Buses
In addition to the schedules from East Fort and Thampanoor, the KSRTC will operate bus services from three other points after the pageantry ends. The buses proceeding to NH 47 side and MC road will begin from PMG, those to Sasthamangalam and Peroorkada side from Vellayambalam junction and those to Pettah side from General Hosptial junction.