NEWS

Parking chaos near the Srirangam temple continues to trouble devotees and residents due to the absence of a designated parking facility. Vehicles crowd the narrow streets around the temple, causing frequent traffic jams and long delays. During weekends and festival days, the situation becomes even worse as thousands of devotees visit the temple. With no proper signs or organised parking zones, many people park their vehicles randomly along the roadside. This creates inconvenience not only for visitors but also for locals living in the area. Emergency vehicles struggle to move through the congested lanes, raising safety concerns. Shopkeepers and traders also face difficulties as the traffic blocks access to their stores. Authorities have been urged multiple times to create a dedicated parking space to ease congestion. However, the lack of immediate action continues to frustrate the public. A planned and well-managed parking facility is essential to restore smooth movement around the sacred temple.

The President’s visit to Srirangam on September 3 has led to special security arrangements in and around the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Devotees will be permitted to enter the temple only until 1 p.m. on that day due to the tight security protocols in place. Authorities have announced these restrictions in advance to ensure smooth movement and safety during the VVIP visit. Large crowds are expected, so the police have planned regulated entry points and monitored pathways. Temple officials have requested devotees to plan their darshan early in the morning to avoid inconvenience. All routine rituals will continue but with adjusted timings to accommodate the President’s schedule. Barricades will be set up around key areas of the temple complex. Parking arrangements will also be modified for the day, with designated zones away from the main entrance. Devotees are advised to follow instructions from security personnel and cooperate fully. The administration aims to ensure a peaceful and organized visit while maintaining the sanctity of the temple.

The team of Higher Secondary School for Boys, Srirangam, which won the interschool league and interschool knockout cricket tournaments conducted by the Tiruchi District Cricket Association.— PHOTO: M. SRINATH It was a sweet double for The Higher Secondary School for Boys, Srirangam, as it emerged victorious in the inter-school league and inter-school knockout cricket tournaments conducted by the Tiruchi District Cricket Association. The HSS for Boys defeated Campion Anglo Indian HSS ‘B’ team in the final of the inter-school league tournament. Of the 14 teams that took part in the competition, six qualified for the super league phase in which the teams were divided into two pools of three teams each. The topper of each pool advanced to the final.

Poor maintenance of Yatri Nivas, a budget-friendly accommodation for pilgrims visiting Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, has raised concern among the public. The facility built at a cost of ₹47 crore on about 6.40 acres of land on Panchakarai Road in Srirangam was put into use in 2015 by then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. It has four dormitories, 95 rooms, 24 cottages, nine shops and a restaurant.

TIRUCHY: Several residential streets in Srirangam, falling under Ward 1, continue to remain in darkness due to the absence of street lighting, causing serious inconvenience and raising safety concerns among residents. Residents and Ward 1 councillor K Lakshmi Devi have raised the issue with the Tiruchy city corporation for over eight months, including during the September council meeting, but no action has been taken so far, they alleged. Over 150 families living in Sathya Nagar, Vengada Hariraja Nagar, KVM Swarnabhoomi Nagar, Thayar Garden, Melur North Street, Keela Theru, Kurukku Theru, and Sudukadu Road face this issue. Although these neighbourhoods developed over the past 10-15 years with proper roads, they still lack functional street lights. Residents say it becomes unsafe to step out after 7 pm, particularly for school children, working women, and the elderly. Stray dog attacks and thefts have added to their worries. In the last year, three two-wheelers were stolen, and an attempted chain-snatching incident occurred on Sudukadu road, increasing the sense of insecurity among the residents. Adding to their woes, the lack of lighting has led to poisonous insects and snakes entering homes at night. “A snake entered my house recently, and I was shocked and scared. With no lights, anything can happen, and we feel unsafe even inside our homes. Walking on the streets after sunset is extremely risky. We carry torches or use mobile flashlights just to step out,” said S Shobana, a resident of Melur Kurukku Theru. Councillor Lakshmi Devi told TNIE that she has been raising the issue since January. “I’ve raised it several times in council and zonal meetings.

Pilgrims visiting Amma Mandapam in Srirangam are experiencing acute shortage of space to perform puja. Pilgrims visiting Amma Mandapam in Srirangam are experiencing acute shortage of space to perform puja. The bathing ghat, situated on the northern banks of the Cauvery, is considered a holy spot to perform obsequies to ancestor. It attracts a large number of devotees from different parts of Tamil Nadu and northern States. The bathing ghat, which used to attract crowds on Amavasya (new moon), gets pilgrims on weekdays and weekends too.