Thiruvananthapuram, February 28 The Southern Railways on Saturday said it has made additional arrangements for the upcoming Pongala Mahotsavam at the Attukal Bhagavathi temple here on March 3.
The Attukal Pongala is considered one of the largest gatherings of women in the world, where lakhs of women, of all ages, gather in the capital city to participate in the festivities.
The railways said that in addition to operating special trains, and adding additional stops and rescheduling trains, further measures have been implemented to ensure a safe, smooth, and convenient journey for all passengers and devotees during the festival.
These measures include strictly regulating the parking of vehicles at the railway station here from March 1 to 3, it said in a statement.
It further said that on March 3, for the convenience of pilgrims, trains departing from Thiruvananthapuram Central towards Kollam Junction will leave from platforms 1, 2, 3, and 4, and those going towards Nagercoil will depart from platform 5.
"To avoid overcrowding, passenger entry to the platforms will be managed through three temporary holding areas. From these areas, passengers can purchase unreserved tickets and enter the platforms once their trains are ready for departure," the statement said.
"Additional ticket counters will be set up near the holding areas. Passengers with reserved tickets can enter directly through the main entrance portico," the statement added.
It also said that around 12 trains, including the Thiruvananthapuram Central – Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, Nagercoil Junction – Kottayam Express, and Kanyakumari – Punalur Passenger, will have a one-minute temporary stop at Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (TVP) station for the convenience of reserved passengers.