Major Pilgrim Facility Improvements; Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan Reviews Preparations Ahead of Pilgrimage Season
Pampa: Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the government aims to transform Sabarimala into one of the country’s finest pilgrimage centres, with modern facilities and improved arrangements for devotees.
Speaking to the media after arriving at Pampa to review preparations for the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, the Chief Minister said steps would be initiated after the current pilgrimage season to develop facilities for Sabarimala devotees along the lines of the Tirupati model.
A review and coordination meeting of various departments was held at the Sree Ramasaketham Auditorium in Pampa to assess the arrangements and preparations for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage.
The Chief Minister said offerings and prasadam would remain under the control of the Travancore Devaswom Board. He added that the Devaswom Board president had assured that there would be no shortage of Appam or Aravana during the upcoming season.
For the smooth darshan and safety of devotees, police and fire and rescue personnel will be deployed under the leadership of their respective force chiefs. A system will also be put in place to prevent the disposal of pilgrims’ discarded clothing at Pampa from creating a waste-management problem.
Facilities at Edathavalams (pilgrim rest centres) will be strengthened, while arrangements will be made to manage the large flow of devotees more efficiently. To reduce congestion at Pampa, a German-model temporary shelter with a capacity of around 6,000 people will be constructed at Nilakkal to facilitate the smooth regulation of pilgrims.
As part of the medical preparedness, 22 medical emergency units will be established. Waste management will also be implemented within a time-bound framework.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will deploy 461 buses for Sabarimala pilgrims during the season. The government will also establish better temple connectivity, linking various temples with Sabarimala to facilitate pilgrims travelling between important religious centres.
The Motor Vehicles Department will conduct inspections to strengthen road safety measures. Meanwhile, the Chalakkayam Road is being upgraded under the Public Works Department at a cost of ₹15 crore, and the work will be expedited.
The Chief Minister said hospitals along the pilgrimage routes would be equipped with improved facilities to ensure that devotees receive quality medical treatment whenever required. He also assured that all necessary arrangements would be made to ensure a smooth darshan experience for devotees during the season.
Earlier in the morning, the Chief Minister visited Pampa and inspected various facilities, including the condition of toilet blocks and other amenities provided for pilgrims.
Chief Minister Visits Sannidhanam and Offers Darshan
After the review meeting and assessment of the pilgrimage arrangements, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan visited Sannidhanam, where he had darshan of Lord Ayyappa and personally assessed the preparations and facilities at the hill shrine ahead of the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
Following his visit to Sannidhanam, the Chief Minister left for Erumeli on Saturday night after completing his inspection of the preparations at the shrine.
Meanwhile, around 40,000 devotees visited Sabarimala today. Concerns have been raised over the pace of preparations for the upcoming Mandala season. With a significant increase in pilgrim numbers expected during the Thulam Masa Pooja, questions have been raised over whether the existing arrangements are sufficient to accommodate the expected rush.
Sabarimala is expected to witness more than one lakh devotees on peak days, making timely completion of infrastructure, crowd-management, sanitation, medical and transport arrangements crucial ahead of the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.