THE annual fire walking ritual will start about an hour earlier this year in order to ease traffic congestion.
It will start at 11.30pm on Oct 4 at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road, where about 3,500 devotees will start a 4.2km walk to the Sri Mariamman Temple at South Bridge Road.
There, they will walk across a 6 metre long fire pit made up of hot wooden logs.
In the past, devotees depart the Serangoon Road temple at about 12.30am and the last devotee usually completes the journey only eight hours later, at about 9am.
This means parts of the roads between the two temples have to be closed during morning peak-hour, causing traffic jams.
By starting earlier, organisers are aiming for everyone to reach the Sri Mariamman Temple by about 7am and for all roads to be fully opened by then.
Dr T. Chandroo, who is heading the organising committee for the ritual, said at a media briefing on Tuesday that he is appealing to all devotees to assemble at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple instead of joining the procession midway.
'In previous years, some joined in half way. There was some confusion and others said they were cutting queue. We want to avoid misunderstandings,' he said.
While they are aiming for the roads to be opened earlier, organisers also advised the public to avoid using Serangoon Road, Selegie Road, Bras Basah Road, North Birdge Road and South Bridge Road from 9pm on Oct 4 till 9am the next day.
