Sabarimala Aravana Production Capacity to Rise to 3.6 Lakh Tins Daily; Nilakkal to Handle 6,000 Pilgrims; AI Crowd Control Planned — Know More
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| K. Jayakumar |
Pathanamthitta: Preparations for the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season at Sabarimala are progressing, with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) planning to increase the daily production of ‘aravana’ by one lakh tins.
TDB President K. Jayakumar said on Thursday that the daily aravana production capacity at Sannidhanam would be increased from 2.6 lakh tins to 3.6 lakh tins to meet the expected demand during the pilgrimage season. He said the increase would be carried out in accordance with FSSAI norms, and work was already underway.
The TDB is also planning to keep a stock of 75 lakh tins of aravana when the temple opens for the season.
Jaggery Tender
Jayakumar said the tender process for purchasing jaggery, a main ingredient in aravana, was underway and would be completed before October 5.
The company that wins the tender will be checked by the TDB vigilance wing before the contract is finalised. Jayakumar said the verification was needed to ensure that the company had the capacity to supply the required quantity and was not a “paper company”.
The contract for purchasing aravana tin lids will also be finalised soon. Re-tenders have been issued for some ingredients, including dried ginger.
The TDB aims to complete all pending tender procedures before October 14. Jayakumar said no new tenders would be issued after October 31.
AI Crowd Monitoring at Nilakkal
Nilakkal will serve as a major crowd-management hub, with waiting arrangements being expanded to accommodate around 6,000 pilgrims, compared to the usual capacity of about 2,000.
According to Jayakumar, an AI-enabled control room will monitor 26 parking lots grouped into 13 zones, helping authorities regulate vehicle movement and the flow of pilgrims. The project, being implemented in coordination with the police, is estimated to cost around ₹5 crore.
The police will decide the locations for installing the AI cameras based on their requirements. The tender process for procuring the cameras is currently underway.
The TDB is also setting up a waiting-area pandal (shed) at Nilakkal with seating capacity for around 6,000 pilgrims.
Jayakumar said five of the seven newly constructed buildings at Nilakkal would be handed over to the police to address their accommodation requirements. A dedicated liaison officer will also be appointed for coordination.
Civil Works
Jayakumar said the tender process for 48 civil works at Sabarimala had been completed. Works worth ₹13.5 crore have been awarded, while work worth around ₹6 crore has already started.
Gold Crown Safe in Strong Room
Jayakumar also dismissed reports about the alleged disappearance of a 55-sovereign gold crown from the Sabarimala strong room, saying the crown is safe.
He said Thiruvabharanam Commissioner R. Rejilal had confirmed that the crown was in the strong room at Sannidhanam. Rejilal also personally inspected the strong room on Wednesday and verified its presence, Jayakumar said.
The crown was donated in 2012 by Vaidyanathaswamy of Tamil Nadu. Jayakumar said the donor adorns the deity with the crown during his annual visit to Sabarimala, after which it is kept in the strong room.
He said the confusion arose because another crown of the same model was also kept in the strong room. The articles had also been temporarily moved to another strong room as part of construction work, which led to the misunderstanding.
Jayakumar said the TDB later verified the matter and confirmed that the gold crown is safe in the Sannidhanam strong room.