As the two-month long Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season begins in November at Sabarimala, the Kerala government on Saturday announced that around 80,000 people will be allowed a day at the Lord Ayyappa shrine and that devotees will be allowed only through online booking this year. .
These decisions were taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to look into the preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season.
Continuing to say that necessary facilities will be provided to devotees on the traditional forest path, the authorities said that if traffic needs to be controlled during peak hours, necessary parking areas will be identified and basic infrastructure will be provided there.
Additional parking lots are being planned at Nilakkal and Pampa this time, the CMO statement read.
Health screening and training will also be organized for ‘Vishudhi Sena’ volunteers (cleanliness volunteers). The maintenance of the Sabari guest house at Sabarimala will be completed soon, and the renovation of the Pranavam guest house has been completed, the statement said.
The meeting was attended by important officials, including Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and State Police Chief Sheikh Darvesh Sahib. Chief Secretary Sharada Muraleedharan, ADGPs Manoj Abraham, S. Sreejith, Devaswom Special Secretary TV Anupama, Pathanamthitta District Collector S. Prem Krishnan, Devaswom Board President PS Prashanth were also present in the meeting.
(According to PTI)
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