Latest news with #TiruvannamalaiAllTraders'Association
The Hindu
05-08-2025
- The Hindu
Assault case puts Tiruvannamalai sadhus under police radar
The Tiruvannamalai District Police carried out a surprise check on sadhus and saints staying along the 14 km-long Girivalam path near Arunachaleswara temple in Tiruvannamalai town on Tuesday, to look for possession of banned substances like ganja and gutka. The check follows the arrest of a 38-year- old sadhu, Kishore, by the Tiruvannamalai town police on charges of sexual assaulting a devotee from Nepal on the path in July. Police also seized around 150 grams of ganja from him. Initial inquiry revealed that Kishore procured ganja from Andhra Pradesh to sell them in the local market and to tourists. Earlier too, police have booked sadhus on the path for possession of ganja. 'The initiative of police to monitor sadhus is a welcome measure. As the town witnesses steady increase of tourists including long distance travelers, sadhus are not restricted on the path alone but also at key spots in the town,' said P. Bhaskan, secretary, Tiruvannamalai All Traders' Association. Following the arrest and seizure of banned substances, police have launched massive checks in the town especially the path, near ashrams and entries to Arunachaleswara temple. At present, the town has around 300 sadhus, mainly between Chengam Road and Abayapuram, a distance of around 10 kms, on Girivalam path. Most of them are from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. They stay in free shelters provided by NGOs and by the temple. In 2022, police initiated recording of fingerprints and photographs of sadhus in the town to have a database for security purposes. The fingerprints were sent to National Automated Fingerprints Identification System (NAFIS), which is maintained by New Delhi based Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) to ascertain any sadhus have criminal records. Other personal details of sadhus like name, age and place of birth were also recorded. A plan to issue a unique identity card with QR code, which cannot be duplicated, to registered sadhus was also made.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Tiruvannamalai Corporation to build multi-level car parks for pilgrims near Arunachaleshwara temple
The Tiruvannamalai Corporation plans to set up multi-level modular car parking facilities, mainly for pilgrims, near the Arunachaleshwara temple to prevent haphazard parking on the town's key stretches and narrow streets. Officials said the civic body had selected at least five spots near Mada Streets around the temple for the new facilities as it would be convenient for visitors to have a place to park their vehicles safely. A nominal fee will be charged for the use of the facilities. 'Modalities of the new facility are being worked out. The estimated cost of the new multi-level parking will be around ₹1 crore,' S. Selva Balaji, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, told The Hindu. At present, Tiruvannamalai town gets around 3 lakh visitors on Chitra Pournami days and 1.5 lakh tourists on weekends. During the Maha Deepam festival last December, around 40 lakh visitors came to the town. Most pilgrims, especially from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, come in cabs and cars. Residents said many cars that had other State number plates were parked on the town's key stretches and narrow streets. Such illegal parking is causing traffic congestion, locals said. 'Most of these vehicles are parked during night to evade traffic police and residents' attention. Due to the blocked roads, ambulances have sometimes had trouble reaching patients during emergencies,' said P. Bhaskan, secretary, Tiruvannamalai All Traders' Association. Officials said that the the parking facilities would afford better utilisation of the available space. The new facility will be modular, which is a detachable one. Such a modular parking facility can be relocated depending on needs during festival seasons, such as Maha Deepam. Most of the open land within civic body limits comes under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department. Revenue officials have also removed encroachments on 9.5 acres, which belongs to the HR and CE Department, on the Girivalam path. A rent-free land will be provided for the new facility. Each facility will have 10 floors with on an average 10 vehicles can be parked on each floor. As per traffic police study, around 200-300 cars come to the town every day on pilgrimage. Such a parking facility will decongest the town and offer more space for both pedestrians and motorists. Other vehicles including tourist vans and buses will be allowed to park on designated temporary parking lots on the outskirts of the town.
