The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the state government to consider the possibilities of stretching the Pongala line of women devotees to Kanya-kumari in the south or to the opposite direction on the national highway to Attingal so as to curb traffic snarls during the Attukal Pongala festival.
A division bench comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice P.S. Gopinathan made the observation while pronouncing the judgment declaring several sections of the recently passed Kerala Public Ways (Restriction of Assemblies and Processions) Act, 2011, unconstitutional.
Coming down on politicians, the court observed that if the police force is allowed to do its duty without political interference, it would ensure that devotees occupy only one side of the public road during festivals like the Pongala.
The court urged the state to consider permitting religious festivals and processions on the roadside without causing obstruction to the full road and by permitting traffic on one side of the road.
The court pointed out that since religious and national festivals are held once a year and with many of them involving short or long rituals or processions along the road, they can be permitted on one side of the road. This should in no way obstruct the traffic, the High Court reiterated.
“We wish wisdom would prevail upon the enlightened political and religious leaders and they should not risk the life of the public by leading them in processions on the road along with the dangerous traffic,” the bench held.
“As far as Attukal Pongala is concerned, it cannot be contained in the temple compound or in the surrounding areas," the judges said.