Ministers inspect facilities for Madurai Chithirai Festival

Sevvoor Ramachandran was accompanied by the State Minister for Information and Publicity, Kadambur Raju, State Minister for Cooperation, Sellur Raju, and State Revenue Minister, RB Udayakumar. 

The ministers inspected the arrangements at the Meenakshi Amman Temple and held discussions with the officials including Corporation Commissioner, Sandeep Nanduri, and Madurai Collector, Veera Raghav Rao. 

Sevvoor Ramachandran along with Udayakumar went to Vaigai River near AV Bridge to study the spot where the deity of Kallazhagar would be carried into the Vaigai River by devotees on May 10. Officials briefed them about how the river would be filled with water at the point where the deity would enter the river. 

To cater to the drinking water needs of the devotees for the festival, authorities would set up five water tanks at strategic points in various places around the temple, informed Sevvoor Ramachandran. Additional bus services would be introduced from neighbouring districts to Madurai to enable devotees to participate in the festival. 

Apart from that 430 Mandaga Padi (with steel roofs), shelters for Kallazhagar to rest on the way from Azhagar Temple to Madurai, are being set up, said the minister. 

As lakhs of devotees are expected to visit Madurai for the festival, May 10 has been declared as a local holiday for Madurai district. Government offices would compensate the leave by working on June 10, Saturday, under Negotiable Instruments Act of 1881. However, banks, treasury office and other departments dealing with essential services would function with a minimum number of staff.