Vehicular traffic piling up on Kumily ghat section; Sabarimala pilgrims complain lack of direction between Idukki and Theni officials

With the mandala puja celebrations being conducted at the famous Sabarimala Temple, Ayyappa devotees from different parts of the southern States are heading to the shrine by road passing through Theni district in Tamil Nadu to reach Kerala.

As a result, there is heavy vehicular traffic on both directions, and during the last 24 hours alone, Kumily has been experiencing long queues that vehicles moved at snail’s pace.

While a majority of the pilgrims are using private cars and tempo-coaches, others are also travelling in private omnibuses to the temple.

Though the number of vehicles had increased this season, when compared with last year, some of the regular users of the stretch complained that lack of coordination between Theni and Idukki district administration had resulted in chaos now.

Normally, considering the number of vehicles, the authorities would convert the two-way traffic system into one-way to decongest the movement.

While vehicles proceeding to Sabarimala from Theni side would be permitted to use Cumbum, Cumbum Mettu, and those coming back from the shrine would use Kumily.

This season, it is said, that the district administration had proposed the other way. ie, Vehicles proceeding to Sabarimala was directed to use Kumily and those returning shall use Cumbum and Cumbum Mettu.

The idea behind the shift in the traffic system was not discussed as it should have been between the two district officials – Theni and Idukki respectively.

The shopkeepers in Kumily said that pilgrims, while returning to their homes after darshan, would buy items like chips and other consumer goods. This season, unaware about the change in the traffic system, the pilgrims too were disappointed after they were directed to use Cumbum to reach Theni.

However, a senior official said that they had held meetings in which the revenue, police, fire and rescue, forest and others participated. The crowd was very high and the vehicle population too had increased. Hence, the traffic moved slowly. There was no confusion or any slackness as charged by the shopkeepers, he added.