Tamil Nadu’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has ordered major Lord Murugan temples to strengthen crowd management, pilgrim facilities and emergency preparedness ahead of the annual Kanda Sashti and Soorasamharam festivals.
HR&CE minister C Ramesh instructed temple administrations to introduce dedicated queue-management plans aimed at reducing waiting times during the festival period. Additional barricades, queue lines and temple personnel are to be deployed according to expected visitor numbers.
The arrangements include priority access for senior citizens, pregnant women and persons with disabilities. Dedicated temple staff and volunteers will support these groups and help them avoid prolonged waits in crowded queues, the minister said.
Temple administrations have also been directed to install hygienic drinking-water kiosks at multiple locations and distribute free light refreshments, including biscuits, to devotees waiting in line. Medical assistance desks, first-aid posts and emergency ambulances are required to remain operational around the clock. Restrooms must undergo continuous sanitation during the festival period.
The department has identified the Soorasamharam celebrations as requiring integrated crowd management because of the expected congregation. Temple authorities have been asked to coordinate with the police, fire and rescue services, the health department and local municipal bodies.
The safety instructions require clearly separated entry and exit routes, unobstructed emergency evacuation pathways, comprehensive CCTV surveillance and public-announcement systems. Temples must also provide multilingual directional signage to help pilgrims navigate the premises and locate essential facilities.
Ramesh warned that rude or inappropriate behaviour by temple staff toward devotees would not be tolerated. Senior supervisory officers will oversee critical areas and address complaints on the spot, according to the department’s directions.
The measures place temple administrations within a wider public-management framework involving several government agencies. Police personnel will support crowd control, fire and rescue services will remain part of emergency coordination, health officials will assist with medical response, and municipal bodies will be involved in local civic arrangements.
The instructions also cover the cultural and devotional programme. Prominent Murugan shrines have been directed to enlist odhuvars for recitations of Thiruppugazh, Thirumurai and Kanda Sashti hymns. Temple broadcasts are to feature devotional verses, while Tamil will receive prominence in rituals, signage and cultural discourses.
For pilgrims, the effectiveness of the arrangements will depend on how consistently the measures are implemented at individual temples, particularly in queue design, emergency access, sanitation, medical response and coordination between departments. The HR&CE department has placed senior officers in supervisory roles as the festivals approach.
