Review meeting held ahead of Thaipoosam festival

Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan on Thursday chaired a coordination meeting with officials of various departments to review the preparations for the 2026 Thaipoosam festival at Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple in Palani. The festival will begin with flag hoisting on January 26, 2026 and continue till February 4, drawing lakhs of pilgrims from across Tamil Nadu and other districts.

According to a press statement, to ease congestion, the district administration has requested Southern Railway to operate special trains to Palani. On key routes such as Coimbatore, Dindigul, Old Dharapuram and New Dharapuram roads, bushes, garbage and stones along the pilgrim walkways were being cleared through the local bodies, with temporary lighting, proper sanitation and additional public toilets arranged for devotees. Monitoring teams have been appointed to coordinate and supervise these works.

Temporary parking lots have been identified for four‑wheelers, and cleaning of Idumbankulam and Shanmuga river is under way so that pilgrims can take ritual baths safely. Separate changing rooms for women devotees and rescue teams from the Fire and Rescue Services with necessary equipment have been sanctioned.

As part of the “Pasumai Palani” (Green Palani) initiative, eight plastic collection centres will function and the sale and use of banned plastic items inside the town will be curbed. Donors providing free meals must follow government health guidelines and hand over food waste to local bodies after collecting it in bio‑covers.

Round‑the‑clock first‑aid camps will be set up along yatra routes, with eight bike ambulances at spots including Shanmuganadhi, Idumban temple, Thiruaavinankudi and Sannathi Road and three regular ambulances at the winch station and Vinayagar temple. Streets around Periyanayagi Amman Temple, where the chariot procession takes place, were being repaired and encroachments removed. Information boards with helpline numbers will be placed every 100 metres.

A total of 892 CCTV cameras have been installed in the area, with more cameras and LED screens planned for police monitoring. The winch and chariots for the silver and main car processions on January 31 and February 1 will be certified for safety by the Public Works Department, and additional government buses will be operated from Palani to various parts of the State.

Fire‑safety equipment will be installed at key points such as the hill temple, rope‑car stations, the Annadhanam halls and public corridors. Senior police officials, revenue officers and officials, including temple authorities, participated in the meeting, according to the press release.