The temporary police station on the 14-km Girivalam path, near Chengam Road, in Tiruvannamalai town is ready to begin operations. It has been built to mainly ensure the safety of devotees, including foreign tourists, who visit the path in large numbers every day.
Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu is set to inaugurate the new facility soon. This comes in the wake of concerns raised by Governor R.N. Ravi about the lack of adequate amenities, especially washrooms, and the mushrooming of non-vegetarian restaurants on the path after sadhus and religious heads informed him of the issues a few days ago.
“The new police station will focus on the safety of walkers on the Girivalam path round the clock. It will be an inspector-led station that will have more investigative powers, including in crime cases,” K. Karthikeyan, Superintendent of Police (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu.
Bifurcated from the Tiruvannamalai Taluk station, the Tiruvannamalai Town West police station will be manned by at least 30-40 police personnel, including around 10 woman constables. It will cover all three wings – crime, law and order, and traffic. The station will cover at least 15-17 remote villages, including Periakolapadi, on the Girivalam path.
As a stop-gap measure, the new station will function from one of the four travellers’ rest houses of the Department of State Highways on the Girivalam path. Sites at Pavazhakundur, Athiyandal, and near the Government Arts College on the path are being identified to construct a separate building on a two-acre plot.
A key reason for the separate station is the distance between the path and the taluk police station. Regular patrolling and the ability to reach the crime scene in a timely manner have remained a challenge for years. Around five-six lakh visitors come to the town during Chitra Pournami days. During weekends, the path witnesses at least one lakh visitors. Petty crimes, such as snatching, burglary, robbery, are often reported on the path.