Aluva: Thousands of devotees, police personnel and the Dewaswom officials were annoyed by the huge muddy puddles and slippery ground at the Aluva manappuram. People had to walk through slippery ground and sludge to perform the bali tharpanam. The Aluva Manappuram had been soaked due to the heavy downpour in the area.

Many lost their footwear in the thick muddy sludge while the tyres of a car that was driven into the Manappuram too got stuck in mud. The vehicle reportedly couldn’t be recovered yesterday. Meanwhile, the police had to intervene at regular intervals after the water level rose in Periyar River due to heavy rains. Warning boards were erected and entry was restricted by tying rope.

Complaints have been rife that the traffic restrictions imposed by the police in the city had become a traffic blockade. Instead of letting people pass in a regulated manner, traffic was totally blocked at some crowded places.

Pedestrians going to the Manappuram from Kottarakadavu through the walking bridge were allowed to pass via the left side of the bridge, for years; and they would be returning through the left side. However, police turned it around during the Shivarathri festival last year raising complaints about its efficiency. Pedestrians were upset as the police repeated the same method causing confusion.