Sabarimala pilgrimage facilities will be expanded before this year’s Mandala–Makaravilakku season, with Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan announcing plans for Tirupati-model amenities, additional buses, emergency medical units, road upgrades and tighter waste-management systems at the hill shrine and its access points.
Satheesan reviewed preparations at Pamba on Saturday during a coordination meeting attended by ministers, legislators, senior officials, police representatives, local-body leaders and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials. He directed departments to complete pending works at Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilackal and other pilgrimage locations on a “war footing” and submit progress reports through their secretaries.
The state has planned 22 medical emergency units for the pilgrimage period. Police and fire force personnel will be deployed under the respective force chiefs to support darshan management, security and emergency response. The newly completed police barrack at Nilackal can accommodate 600 personnel, while repairs to the old barrack have also been ordered.
Transport capacity is another major part of the preparations. KSRTC is arranging 461 buses for pilgrims, while the Motor Vehicles Department will inspect vehicles and roads to strengthen road safety. Connectivity between Sabarimala and other temples will also be ensured, according to the chief minister.
To manage large crowds at the Nilackal base camp, a German-style shed with a capacity of 6,000 people will be built. The TDB has been instructed to clean and prepare 21 parking grounds at Nilackal. Barricading will be strengthened along the Marakkoottam–Saramkuthi path, a key pedestrian route used by devotees approaching the shrine.
Road and building works are also under review. The Public Works Department has been directed to complete modernisation of the Pamba–Chalakkayam road, for which Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned. Repairs on other roads are to be completed within two weeks. The PWD buildings wing must certify the fitness of permanent and temporary structures before they are used during the pilgrimage.
Waste and sanitation have emerged as priority areas in the preparation plan. A control system will be introduced to prevent discarded clothing at Pamba from becoming a waste-management problem, while waste removal will be carried out on a time-bound basis. Drinking-water distribution will be monitored closely, and local self-government institutions have been asked to provide maximum support to pilgrims.
The TDB president assured the meeting that there would be no shortage of offerings such as appam and aravana, which remain under the board’s control. The chief minister also instructed the board to complete maintenance of police facilities, including a tented police aid post at Nilackal, police messes at Pamba and Sannidhanam, the old police station at Pamba and the station of the station house officer at Sannidhanam.
Satheesan said the government would provide the necessary facilities this season to ensure hassle-free darshan. He later travelled to Sannidhanam to assess preparations at the shrine. After the current pilgrimage season ends, the state plans to put in place facilities modelled on those at Tirupati, although details of the proposed long-term package were not provided at the meeting.
