Samayapuram temple mandapam being razed

Trichy: Demolition of the dilapidated RCC mandapam on the premises of Samayapuram Mariamman temple began on Wednesday. The four-decade-old structure, which was declared unsafe for devotees, is expected to be fully demolished within two weeks.Located on the eastern side in front of the rajagopuram, the mandapam once served as a place where devotees could gather and rest. However, the building had deteriorated severely over the past few years. In the early hours of March 29, a 32-year-old woman who was sleeping on the floor of the mandapam died after a chunk of cement concrete from the ceiling fell on her. Another woman and her daughter sustained injuries. The women had travelled to Samayapuram on a pilgrimage for the temple's Poochorithal festival.The tragic incident and recurrence of similar events drew sharp criticism from political leaders, activists, and devotees, who called for immediate measures to ensure safety of the area. The temple administration, under HR&CE department, subsequently decided to demolish the mandapam, as the structure was found to be unsafe and beyond any possibility of renovation or repair.Officials of HR&CE, municipality, police, health, fire services, and public works departments were present when the work began. District collector V Saravanan urged devotees to stay away from the demolition site for at least two weeks.