Sabarimala: Pilgrims to be permitted only through online booking this year

Thiruvananthapuram: As the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season is just a month away in Sabarimala, the Kerala government on Saturday said pilgrims would be permitted through online booking only this year and darshan would be ensured to a maximum of 80,000 people a day at the Lord Ayyappa shrine.

At the time of virtual queue booking, the pilgrims would get a chance to choose their travel route also, a CMO statement said here.

The decisions were taken during an evaluation meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season, it said.

According to sources, the decision was taken to regulate the heavy rush during the pilgrimage season.

Stating that necessary facilities would be provided for the devotees on the traditional forest path, the authorities said that if vehicles needed to be regulated during peak times, necessary areas would be identified for parking and basic infrastructure would be provided there.

More parking facilities are being arranged at Nilakkal and Pampa this time, the CMO said, adding that maintenance of roads to Sabarimala and parking grounds around it would be completed soon.

The “vishudhi sena” personnel would undergo health checks and get necessary training, it said.

The maintenance of one of the state-run guest houses in Sabarimala has already been completed and the other one would be over soon, the CMO said.

State Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, police chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb and other officials concerned attended the meeting, the statement added.