Sabarimala toilets and bathing facilities will be available free of charge to pilgrims from the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku season, after the Travancore Devaswom Board decided to stop auctioning the amenities and introduce a contracted agency for their upkeep.
The facilities at Sannidhanam, Pamba, Swami Ayyappan Road and the traditional pilgrim route will be covered by the decision, the board said. Pilgrims will no longer have to pay to use the toilets or bathing facilities at these locations.
The change follows complaints from devotees about the condition of the facilities and the fees collected for their use. The decision places sanitation access within the board’s broader responsibility for managing essential services during one of Kerala’s largest annual pilgrimage seasons.
Instead of auctioning the facilities, the board will engage an experienced agency through a contract process to maintain them. The reported decision does not specify the name of the agency, the contract value, the number of facilities covered or the service standards that will be used to assess performance.
Sabarimala’s pilgrimage infrastructure operates across multiple locations rather than at a single complex. Sannidhanam is the main temple area, while Pamba serves as a key access and transit point. The routes connecting these locations, including Swami Ayyappan Road and the traditional pilgrim path, also require public toilets and bathing facilities for visitors undertaking the pilgrimage.
Making these services free removes a direct payment requirement for pilgrims, but the board’s decision also shifts the operational focus towards maintaining quality and capacity through an external service provider. The effectiveness of the arrangement will depend on how frequently the facilities are cleaned, how quickly faults are addressed and whether sufficient services remain available during periods of heavy pilgrim movement.
The board said devotees would continue to have the option of contributing ₹5 or more to the Pilgrim Relief Fund while booking virtual queue slots. The contribution will remain voluntary and will not be linked to the use of the toilets or bathing facilities.
The distinction is important because the relief-fund contribution and access to sanitation services will operate separately. Pilgrims will not be required to make the contribution to use the free facilities, according to the board’s decision as reported by the Times of India.
The announcement comes as the board prepares for the Mandala-Makaravilakku season, when large numbers of pilgrims use Sabarimala’s roads, walking routes and public amenities. The board’s next operational steps are to complete the contract process and arrange upkeep of the facilities before the season begins.
