Kottayam: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s native land and Kottayam town are preparing round the clock for the final journey of the popular leader who served them tirelessly. Congress committees, the public and different organisations were busy yesterday, making arrangements for paying their last respects to the beloved leader.
All-religion prayer meetings were conducted under the leadership of different organisations and the local people at Pampady, Kottayam, Puthuuppally, and Changanassery. Congress workers and organisations were putting up boards paying homage to the leader along the path of the funeral procession that will arrive at the Thirunakkara ground after passing through MC Road.
A large shamiana was put up in front of the District Congress Committee office. All the party workers will accompany the funeral procession to the Thirunakkara ground from the DCC office. Commercial establishments in Puthuppally, Pampady, and Kottayam have put up black flags as a sign of mourning. Preparations for the funeral were made under the leadership of the District Collector late into the night yesterday. The arrangements have been made in coordination with police, Fire and Rescue Services, Health department and others.
Traffic curbs have been imposed in the district as part of the funeral procession of the former CM.
• The heavy vehicles coming through MC Road from the Nattakam side have to take a left turn from Cement Kavala and proceed via Parechal bypass, Tiruvathukkal, and Kurishupalli to reach Aruthootti Junction. From there, these vehicles have to take a right turn to reach Chalukunnu Junction before heading to the Medical College direction. The vehicles proceeding to Kumarakom direction should take the Tiruvathukkal, Aruthootti route.
• The light vehicles heading in the east direction along the MC Road should take a right turn at Manippuzha Junction and proceed towards Kanjikuzhi via Kaduvakulam and Kolladu.
• The vehicles coming from Nagampadam bridge should head towards Chanthakavala via Nagampadam bus stand, Railway station, and Logos. These vehicles should then proceed towards the Kodimatha direction via Market Road and ML Road.
• The vehicles coming from the Kumarakom side should reach Baker Junction and take a right turn and proceed towards the bus stand.
• The buses heading to Karappuzha, Tiruvathukkal, and Illikkal directions should reach Baker Junction first and proceed towards Tiruvathukkal side via Aruthootti.
• The heavy vehicles coming via K K Road and heading towards Chenganassery direction should take the Kanjikuzhi, Devalokam, and Kaduvakulam route. The private buses should proceed via Collectorate, Logos, Shastri Road, and Kurien Uthuppu Road to reach the Nagampadam bus stand.
Parking spaces
Parking spaces have also been allotted for people who will be taking part in the procession or paying respect to the former CM in Thirunakkara Maidan on Wednesday.
• Thirunakkara temple ground (Department vehicles)
• Old Police Station ground, Thirunakkara (Car and other small vehicles)
• CMS College Road (Car and other small vehicles)
• Thirunakkara Bus Stand ( Car and other small vehicles)
• Jerusalem Marthoma Church ground, Opp Dist hospital (Car and other small vehicles)
• Kurian Uthup Road (Buses and other big vehicles)
• Erayilkadavu Bypass (Buses and other big vehicles)
Holiday for schools
The District Collector informed that schools in the district will have a holiday on Wednesday afternoon, as part of the traffic restrictions for the funeral procession.
Shops to remain shut
K N Panicker, general secretary of the Kerala Vyapari-Vyavasai Ekopana Samiti, said that all commercial establishments under it would remain shut from 1 pm on Thursday as a marl of respect to the departed leader. The commercial establishments in the Puthuppally Assembly constituency will remain shut from Thursday morning.
