Mangaluru: Asking the Ayyappa devotees to abide by Motor Vehicles Act, the police department has asked them not to go by the goods vehicles while traveling to Sabarimala.
According to the Motor Vehicles Act, pilgrims should not travel in goods carriages. Hence, transporting pilgrims in goods carriages is a blatant violation of traffic and road safety rules. Many accidents had been reported from different parts of the country during the Sabarimala season owing to the transportation of people in goods carriages. Such mishaps could be prevented by strictly enforcing the prevailing laws. Hence, police department sought the cooperation of all the Ayyappa devotees to avert road mishaps.
As hiring passenger vehicles are a bit costlier than hiring goods vehicles, devotees prefer to go by the latter. However, this is a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. As there is a protest going on at Sabarimala over the issue of allowing all women to enter the temple, giving protection to all the devotees lays on the shoulders of the Kerala police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hanumantharaya, when contacted, informed that though it was not the new rules, they were asked to strictly implement it now. “Before implementing it strictly, we are asking the pilgrims not to opt for goods carriages. Though it is cheaper to hire goods vehicles, devotees should not go by them and should abide by the motor vehicles Act”, he said.
