Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Finally, the committee is starting to look at making it a pleasant experience for the devotees.
Fewer stalls to make it easier for devotees
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of stalls at the Batu Caves temple has been reduced to create more space for the crowd to walk as a larger crowd is expected this year.
Temple trustee M. Thevarajo said about 300 stalls would be set up this year, compared with 400 last year. He said the management was working closely with the police to ensure the Thaipusam celebrations proceeded smoothly on Wednesday.
St John Ambulance, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Rescue 911 and volunteers will be stationed in the temple premises to assist the public. Extra police personnel would also be at hand.
Gombak acting police chief Superintendent Abdul Karim Abu Hassan said more than 1,000 police and Federal Reserve Unit personnel would be stationed 24 hours at the temple from today till Jan 27.
Abdul Karim said several roads in the temple’s vicinity, including the entrance and exit roads, would be closed to traffic from tomorrow until Thursday. He advised motorists to use alternative routes. The closed roads are a stretch of Jalan Sungai Tua and Jalan Batu Caves Lama, starting from the Amaniah Mosque traffic lights, all the way to Jalan Perusahaan.
The Batu Caves bypass will also be partially closed tomorrow and Wednesday for a chariot parade from the Selayang exit to the junction facing Taman SBC.
Motorists from the north heading towards the east coast can use the Beringin roundabout, going through Jalan 35 in Selayang Baru to Jalan Sungai Tua, passing Kampung Nakhoda, Wira Damai and Taman Sri Gombak to Ampang.
Motorists from the east coast heading towards the north can use the Taman Sri Gombak route, going through Wira Damai, Kampung Nakhoda and Jalan Sungai Tua to the Rawang/KL route.
