Summary:
The time regulations imposed by police to call off services for specified period during day (12 noon to 2pm) and at night (8pm to 12am) have not gone down well with the pilgrims. The authorities shouldn’t punish us like this,” said Rajendran, the group leader.At the resting places pilgrims are struggling to find space. The pilgrims, including kids were sweltering inside the overcrowded non-AC bus,” a KSRTC official said.The new regulation had caught a group of 100 devotees from Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu unawares. From 8am to 8pm, 183 trips were operated from Nilakkal on Sunday, the highest number so far since the beginning of Mandalakalam.“Everything goes smoothly till the timing regulations are imposed. All the low-floor buses, which had been lined up for service, had to be emptied as police went around asking the pilgrims to go to the resting place.Annoyed, the pilgrims picked up an argument with the officials at the station officer’s counter but they expressed their helplessness..