Wed Feb 19 18:53:26 UTC 2025: ## Attukal Pongala Preparations in Full Swing: Thiruvananthapuram Gears Up for Festival
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, February 20, 2025** – Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up for the annual Attukal Pongala festival, scheduled for March 13th. A review meeting chaired by Cooperation and Devaswoms Minister V.N. Vasavan directed government departments to finalize arrangements by early March.
Extensive preparations are underway to ensure a smooth and safe festival. These include road repairs, improved drainage and street lighting in the festival zone, the provision of mobile toilets and water tanks, and enhanced security measures. The City Police will deploy additional personnel, surveillance cameras, and control rooms to manage law and order and traffic. The Fire and Rescue Services will have 63 vehicles and over 400 personnel on standby. Medical teams and ambulances will be deployed by the Health department, and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation will operate special services.
Food safety is a key focus, with the Food Safety Department deploying mobile testing labs and conducting inspections. Those offering ‘Annadanam’ (community feeding) are required to register beforehand. A ‘dry day’ will be observed in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation limits and the Vellar ward of Venganoor grama panchayat for 24 hours, starting 6 p.m. on March 12th, with the Excise department increasing surveillance.
The District Collector, Anu Kumari, announced that a green protocol will be followed during the festival. The meeting was attended by various officials, including the Sub Collector, City Police Commissioner, and Attukal Temple Trust representatives.
First Piper 