The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will deploy 461 buses during the 41-day Mandalam season and increase the fleet to 561 buses for the Makaravilakku festival to transport Sabarimala pilgrims across Kerala, the corporation said in a statement on Friday. The Mandala Pooja season begins on November 17, while Makaravilakku will be observed on January 14, 2027.
The special services will connect major pilgrimage and transport centres, including Pampa, Nilakkal, Chengannur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Erumeli, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam, Kumily, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Adoor, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kayamkulam. KSRTC said additional buses would be introduced according to passenger demand, with leased buses available if required.
The transport corporation will deploy 678 employees at Pampa and Nilakkal during the Mandalam season and 778 during the Makaravilakku period. The first phase will include 325 drivers and 225 conductors, while the second phase will have 375 drivers and 275 conductors. Employees have received fire and rescue training as well as medical training for operations during the pilgrimage season.
Mechanical staff have also undergone specialised training, including instruction from vehicle manufacturers, according to the statement. The preparation is intended to support operations on the Nilakkal-Pampa route, where pilgrims typically transfer to bus services for the final leg of the journey.
KSRTC’s Budget Tourism Cell is preparing chartered pilgrimage trips and online reservation facilities. Special services to Pampa will also be organised from temples near different depots and designated service centres based on demand. The corporation said it would soon publish details of more than 70 selected temples where pilgrims can rest and stay overnight.
At Pampa and Nilakkal, KSRTC plans to improve bus parking, garages, staff accommodation and rest areas. It will also take measures to prevent unauthorised parking and arrange police assistance near the Nilakkal bus station. Waiting sheds and passenger barricades are planned at Thriveni.
Crowd movement will be coordinated through the Pampa control room, which will help match bus deployment with pilgrim arrivals and return journeys. KSRTC will work with other departments to curb unauthorised parallel services and parking that disrupt bus operations at Nilakkal, Pampa and other key locations.
Transport management committee meetings involving elected representatives will be held at Pampa, Chengannur and other centres. The meetings will coordinate services, parking, passenger facilities and operational requirements before and during the pilgrimage season.
