70 free shuttle buses arranged for Pushkaralu pilgrims
BHUPALPALLY : Jayashankar Bhupalpally Collector Rahul Sharma has assured pilgrims that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure smooth access to the Pushkar Ghat. He told TNIE that 70 free shuttle buses are operating from the main bus stand and designated private vehicle parking areas to the ghats.
'There is no need for pilgrims to worry about reaching the ghats. The state government has arranged a free shuttle service to ensure that no one has to walk the two-kilometre distance,' he said.
Rahul Sharma further stated that all necessary steps have been taken to handle the increasing number of pilgrims expected over the weekend.
'With only three days left for Saraswati Pushkaralu, we are expecting two lakh pilgrims every day in addition to the regular crowd. Moreover, an additional 80 acres of land have been utilised for vehicle parking.'
The Collector said that sanitation workers, police personnel, and volunteers have been deployed to manage crowd movement, maintain hygiene, and ensure the safety of pilgrims.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Messi will come, asserts Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman
KOCHI: Raising fresh hopes of Lionel Messi playing in Kerala, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Friday posted on Facebook that the Argentina footballer and his team will visit the state. 'Messi is coming,' the minister posted. Though no dates or venues have been officially confirmed, the announcement comes amid speculation that Argentina may not play in Kerala. 'Messi is definitely coming, that is for sure. The remaining details will be out shortly,' Abdurahiman told TNIE. Last November, he announced the visit of the world champions for two international friendlies in Kerala. 'Team backing out after signing deal unlikely' There were reports that the team was considering playing in other countries in the same window. Argentine sports journalists had put out the schedule for the team's visit to China, Qatar and Angola in their October-November international-friendly break, leading to speculation that the team might not be heading to India during the period. 'It is likely that the team will visit Kerala, as the minister promised, since the contract has already been signed. Though we do not have much information right now, it is very unlikely for a team to back out after the agreement has been made,' said Kerala Football Association president Navaz Meeran.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Malarikkal water lilies charm their way into handlooms, home gardens
KOCHI: Enchanting and enterprising! In capturing the imagination of tourists, the water lily fields of Malarikkal, in Kottayam, turned into a source of additional income for the local fisher community. This received a boost when traditional ethnic-wear designers came up with a business proposition: To source natural dye from the flowers. 'We were approached by fashion designers who work with natural fibre and dye for collecting the water lilies,' says Sali A, a local fisherman. According to him, these designers would place orders for water lilies, especially the pink ones. 'They need fresh flowers to make the dye. So, we pluck the flowers early in the morning. These flowers are then taken to their workshop in Tripunithura,' Sali said. The fishermen are paid around Rs 5 per flower. 'We make good money whenever we get an order,' he adds. The lilies are also sourced by Save The Loom—an organisation committed to restoring and revitalising the traditional textile sector—for its Amalda series of naturally dyed and eco-printed handwoven textiles and sarees. Ramesh Menon, founder of Save The Loom tells TNIE that the not-for-profit launched the series in 2020 in collaboration with Clothes Without Borders, a sustainable luxury brand. 'It was the first-ever series of naturally dyed, handwoven textiles from Chendamangalam. Amalda celebrates the beauty and wisdom of Kerala's floral heritage. With over 4,600 recorded species of flowering plants—many rich in medicinal and dye-yielding properties—Kerala offers a vast palette drawn straight from nature,' Ramesh points out. 'The response to our naturally dyed, handwoven sarees and textiles has been overwhelming. Conscious shoppers and a growing community of mindful consumers have begun to deeply resonate with products that are not only rich in natural resources but also carry the stories of the skilled hands behind them,' he said. He adds, 'Among all our naturally dyed collections—each created using elements found in our neighbourhoods, such as chethi, mantharam, arali, mylanji, rose petals, pomegranate rind, turmeric, madder, sappanwood, and dried rose powder, the 'Lilies of Malarickal' limited edition has always held a special place. This collection, inspired by the stunning seasonal bloom of water lilies in Malarikkal, is consistently sold out, often with a waiting period of nearly a year, as the natural phenomenon occurs only over a short window of about four months.'
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Southern Railway drops plan to cut sleeper coaches on Nellai, Podhigai Express after backlash in Tamil Nadu
CHENNAI: Following stiff opposition from passengers and several political parties, Southern Railway on Tuesday scrapped its proposal to reduce the number of sleeper coaches on the Chennai-Tirunelveli Nellai Express and the Chennai Egmore-Sengottai Podhigai Express. However, the revised coach compositions for other trains, including the Chennai-Coimbatore Cheran Express and Chennai-Mettupalayam Nilgiris Express, will proceed as planned. An order from the transportation branch of the Madurai railway division confirmed that the existing coach configurations for the Nellai and Podhigai Express trains — comprising 8 sleeper coaches, 5 AC three-tier coaches, 2 AC two-tier coaches, and 1 first-class AC coach — will remain unchanged. The earlier proposal had suggested reducing sleeper coaches from 8 to 7 and increasing the number of AC three-tier coaches from 5 to 6, which stands cancelled, revealed the order issued by the Senior Divisional Operational Manager of the Madurai division. On Tuesday, TNIE published a report highlighting how the proposed change would have reduced the availability of sleeper class berths while increasing the number of higher-fare AC berths. Earlier in the day PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss had strongly criticised the railways' decision to reduce the number of sleeper coaches.
