Devaswom Minister Orders Early Preparations for a Complaint-Free Sabarimala Pilgrimage; Says Last Year's Lapses Must Not Be Repeated
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health and Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan has directed officials to ensure that the 2026 Sabarimala pilgrimage season is conducted without any complaints, stressing that the shortcomings witnessed during previous pilgrimages must not be repeated under any circumstances.(sabarimalauptodate.in)
Chairing a high-level review meeting at the Thycaud Guest House in Thiruvananthapuram, the minister instructed all departments to complete preparations well in advance and ensure that no compromise is made in providing essential facilities for Lord Ayyappa devotees.
Muraleedharan said preparations for the annual pilgrimage should begin much earlier than in previous years. He specifically asked the police to pay special attention to crowd management to prevent a repeat of the heavy congestion witnessed during the first week of last year's pilgrimage season.(sabarimalauptodate.in)
He noted that due to overcrowding, several pilgrims were forced to end their journey at Pandalam without reaching Sabarimala, and said such a situation must be avoided this year.
Although the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has primary responsibility for managing the pilgrimage, the minister emphasized that the State Government also bears significant responsibility in ensuring its smooth conduct. With a higher number of devotees expected this season compared to last year, he said extensive and carefully planned preparations are being undertaken.
Muraleedharan also announced that a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister will be convened soon to review the progress of the preparations.
The minister directed officials to complete repair and maintenance work on all major roads leading to Sabarimala before the pilgrimage season begins. He also said he had discussed the deployment of additional Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus services with the Transport Minister, who has assured full support.
Addressing transportation issues faced by pilgrims, Muraleedharan said the additional financial burden and inconvenience caused by requiring pilgrims travelling in large private vehicles to disembark at Nilakkal should be avoided. He said the police and the Travancore Devaswom Board will jointly examine the possibility of allowing such vehicles to proceed directly to Pampa, with a final decision to be taken after consultations.
The minister further assured that if government health centres in the pilgrimage region face staff shortages, local MLAs can immediately report the issue, and urgent appointments will be made wherever necessary.
MLAs who attended the meeting appreciated the minister for convening a comprehensive review several months ahead of the pilgrimage season, saying the early planning would help ensure better coordination and preparedness.
The meeting was attended by Anto Antony MP, MLAs Abin Varkey, Pazhakulam Madhu, M.J. Sebastian, C.V. Shanthakumar, K.U. Jenish Kumar, and Varghese Mammen, along with Devaswom Secretary M.G. Rajamanikyam, Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar, Board member K. Raju, Pathanamthitta District Collector A. Nizamuddin, District Police Chief R. Anand, Pandalam Palace representative Pradeepam Kumar Varma, Devaswom Commissioner B. Sunilkumar, Chief Engineer Ranjith Sekhar, Executive Officer O.B. Biju, and other senior officials.