Big news from Tiruvannamalai! On Wednesday, all the roadside shops and extra extensions blocking the Mada Streets around the famous Arunachaleswarar Temple were smashed down. Why? To make more room for the waves of pilgrims expected during the Karthigai Deepam festival, which runs until December 7. Officials from the State Highways are leading this demolition drive. They are not stopping at just Mada Streets—illegal structures on the long 14-km Girivalam path are also being cleared. This path is where devotees walk around the temple, and with the festival’s peak coming up on December 3, the area needs to be wide and safe. The officials said the whole job will finish in just a day or two. Joining the action were big names like Collector K. Tharpagaraj and Tiruvannamalai Corporation Commissioner S. Selva Balaji. They personally checked how the clearance work was progressing around the temple. S. Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer of State Highways, shared with The Hindu, “More road space will help senior citizens and children to walk safely around the temple and the Girivalam path. The entire stretch will be restored to its original width.” Most of the blocked spaces were found on newly built stormwater drains. Sadly, two-wheelers and cycles were parked right on the road lanes, stopping pedestrians from moving freely to the temple or nearby places. K. Pavithra, a devotee, happily said, “Providing more road space is a welcome measure as pedestrians, mostly devotees, struggle to walk safely on the stretches due to make-shift shops.” The State Highways officials also mentioned a WOW fact: about three lakh visitors crowd the town on Chitra Pournami days. On the Maha Deepam day itself, the numbers can jump to a staggering 40 lakh! Because of this huge crowd, no vehicles, not even bikes, are allowed inside town on that day. And here’s more good news! The Highways Department is wrapping up its ₹15-crore project to lay down smooth concrete carriageways on the Mada streets. Once done, devotees won’t have to dodge potholes on their sacred walk. The project brings much-needed relief to everyone heading to the temple during this holy time. So, this is a big win for the pilgrims and the town—clear roads, safer walks, and smoother festival celebrations ahead!