QR Code issued by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police for details of designated vehicle parking areas.

The State capital has come under heightened security on account of the Attukal Pongala festival that is underway at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.

The temple premises and its surrounding areas are currently being monitored by 700 police personnel. The security arrangements will be bolstered with the deployment of 3,815 personnel, including officers from neighbouring districts, battalions and specialised units, for two days starting Wednesday, ahead of the Pongala on March 13.

The City police have implemented a comprehensive security plan to ensure public safety during the spiritual event, which attracts thousands of devotees from across the State and beyond.

Surveillance

The security plan includes the deployment of six drones for aerial surveillance and more than 100 CCTV cameras for continuous monitoring. Moreover, live feeds from the Smart City Control Room, which is linked to 847 cameras across the city, will be closely monitored. A special police control room has also been set up at the temple premises, with two more control rooms planned for the event.

A substantial number of Shadow Police and Women Police personnel will be stationed at key locations to prevent incidents of theft and eve-teasing. A dedicated team of ‘spotters,’ including officers from Kanyakumari, will also be positioned to identify habitual offenders.

The police will set up 32 picket posts to screen vehicles and discourage driving under the influence of intoxicants. Moreover, five bike patrols and 14 foot patrols will be deployed throughout the city to ensure smooth enforcement of safety protocols.

Fire safety, emergency response

In anticipation of potential fire hazards due to the scorching heat, the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services will mobilise nearly 500 fire personnel, including 100 civil defence volunteers, for the festival. This year, for the first time, the force will deploy 34 women firefighters. They were part of the first batch of women inducted into the fire force last year.

The city has been divided into five sectors — Attukal, East Fort, Killipalam, Thampanoor, and the outer city region — to ensure effective surveillance and prompt response to emergencies. Two control rooms have been set up to coordinate fire and rescue operations. High-pressure water pumping stations have been established at both the Attukal Temple and the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. In addition, 101 duty points have been identified to respond swiftly to any exigencies in the respective areas.

In light of the ongoing heatwave alert, the fire force has issued a precautionary advisory for devotees to adopt necessary measures to avoid heat-related health issues.