• Parking facility arranged at Lalitha Mahal grounds
• Puja rituals to commence at 3.30 am tomorrow; darshan for devotees from 6 am
• KSRTC to offer free services from 5 am to 8 pm except on Saturdays and Sundays

Mysore/Mysuru: With the first Ashada Friday set for tomorrow, the District Administration  has banned entry of all private vehicles to Chamundi Hill on all Ashada Fridays (July 12, 19, 26 and Aug. 2 and Chamundeshwari Vardhanti on July 27), Saturdays and Sundays from tomorrow till Aug.4.

A notification issued by DIGP (Southern Range) Dr. M.B. Boralingaiah, also In-charge City Police Commissioner said that as a measure to regulate vehicle movement and ensure public safety, the entry of all types of private vehicles to Hill top has been banned from July 12 to 14, July 19 to 21, July 26 to 28 and from Aug.2 to 4.

The devotees visiting the Hill temple on these days have to park their vehicles at the designated vehicle parking area (Lalitha Mahal grounds) and go to the Hill temple in KSRTC buses only. Meanwhile, the KSRTC will offer the services for free only on Ashada Fridays and the devotees have to pay the stipulated fare to the Hill temple on Saturdays and Sundays.

However, there is free travel for women in accordance with ‘Shakti’ scheme. The KSRTC buses will operate from 5 am till 8 pm on these days.

The entry of vehicles on all routes to the temple from Tavarekatte, Uttanahalli Road side and Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre (IVAC) Road side, have been banned from 10 pm on Thursdays itself.   However, this regulation is not applicable to VVIPs and VIPs who are covered by protocol.

The devotees have to park their vehicles in an orderly manner at Lalitha Mahal grounds as per the directions of the Traffic Police who are stationed at the spot. The devotees coming from Lalitadripura side have to pass through Lalitadripura Road to reach the  ground and park the vehicles there.

Vehicles coming from Uttanahalli side have to travel on Nanjangud Road to reach M.L. Somasundaram Circle from where they have to pass through Maharana Pratap Singh Circle-Sangolli Rayanna Circle-Lalitha Mahal Road to reach the Hill top, where they will alight the passengers at the KSRTC bus stand. On the return trip, the buses will ply through Tavarekatte, Sangolli Rayanna Circle and Lalitha Mahal Main Road to reach the grounds.

However, the residents of Chamundi Hill and Gram Panchayat staff have to get an identity card from the designated authorities by producing the required documents such as DL, Aadhaar card, Voter ID card etc., in order to travel in their vehicles.

The vehicles of VVIPs, VIPs and those who are on official duty have to be parked at the multi-level parking facility atop the Hill.

Meanwhile, the KSRTC in a press release, said that the regular  KSRTC city buses leaving from the City Bus Stand to Chamundi Hill will pass through Sangolli Rayanna Circle- Lalitha Mahal Helipad Y Junction, Lalitadripura Road and IVAC Circle to reach the Hill top on all Ashada Fridays on July 12,19, 26 and Aug.2 and Chamundeshwari Vardhanti day on July 27. However, these buses are not free and devotees have to pay the fare (free for women as per  ‘Shakti’ scheme).

The devotees visiting the temple by climbing the Hill steps have to park their vehicles at the ground opposite Pinjrapole by following the directions of the Police stationed there.

As thousands of devotees are expected to visit the Hill temple during Ashada, the District Administration has set up an exclusive Helpline, installed street lights, CCTV cameras at all key and vantage points as a security measure. Also, security will be provided at Lalitha Mahal grounds where the devotees are required to board free KSRTC buses. Toilets, medical facility, drinking water and other necessary civic amenities are in place too.

The vehicles meant for distribution of permitted prasada to devotees atop the Hill on Ashada Fridays have to be parked at the designated parking facility opposite the KSRTC bus stand atop the Hill. The prasada distribution vehicles have to mandatorily get  passes from the District Administration.

Prasada must be distributed among the devotees only at designated spots and at the fixed time only atop the Hill. However, vehicles arriving early or late will not be allowed entry.

On the first Ashada Friday tomorrow, the rituals will commence as early at 3.30 am and the devotees will be allowed inside the temple at 6 am after the completion of all associated rituals and pujas.