Copyright thehindu
With just over a week remaining before the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season, Kumily, a major stopover for pilgrims on the way to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, continues to lack basic amenities. According to officials, thousands of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh use the Kumily-Mundakkayam-Erumeli-Pampa route to reach the hill shrine. Vimal Philip, a hotelier in Kumily, said that when the pilgrimage season starts, the town witnesses hours-long traffic blocks. “Heavy traffic blocks would result in the police banning vehicles from stopping in the town, negatively impacting the local business. A proper traffic management should be arranged here before the season starts,” said Mr. Philip. When the pilgrimage season starts, a large number of seasonal shops opens in Kumily town, leading to many pilgrims stopping on the Kottarakara-Dindigul National Highway. “The roadside parking disrupts vehicle movement and results in traffic blockage. The police and authorities fail to control such illegal parking,” said a source. Like the previous years, no facilities have been made for the pilgrims in the town, said Sanoop Puthupparampil, Merchants Association Youth Wing Kumily unit president. Toilet nor accommodation facilities have been arranged, he said. “In the previous years, the panchayat had made arrangements for stay for the pilgrims near the bus stand. However, since the venue was knocked down for reconstruction, this could not be arranged this year,” said Mr. Puthupparampil. If the panchayat opens two or three parking grounds in the town, traffic blocks can be avoided, he added. Kumily panchayat president Daisy Sebastian said the panchayat had already submitted a letter to District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatt for permission to use the Forest department’sparking ground in Anavachal, Thekkady, for pilgrims during the season. A parking ground in Anavachal can solve the traffic issue,” she said. District Police Chief K.M. Sabu Mathew said the police would arrange a special traffic package in Kumily town to avoid the traffic blocks. “The police will not allow roadside parking during the season. The parking ground issue was already discussed with the Collector, and we expect to get permission for parking ground in Anavachal. A high-level interstate meeting will be held soon,” he said.
