The government is making extensive arrangements for the annual pilgrimage season this time in anticipation of more pilgrims.
The government is making extensive arrangements for the annual pilgrimage season this time in anticipation of more pilgrims.
A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday decided to complete the preparations for this year’s Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage at Sabarimala by November 10.
The government is making extensive arrangements for the annual pilgrimage season this time in anticipation of more pilgrims. Adequate measures including deployment of police will be ensured throughout the period . As many as 12 centres will be opened for booking slots for darsan through the virtual queue system.
To ensure safe pilgrimage, notice boards in different languages will be installed and all major stop-overs including those along the forest routes will be opened. Temporary toilets and tents will be arranged at these locations. In view of the heavy rains forecasts, a special hazard measurement study will be conducted for the safety of the pilgrims and warning boards will be installed in the vulnerable areas.
Trees that pose danger along the pilgrimage route will be axed before October 29. Control room of the Forest Department will be set up both at Pampa and Sannidhanam and artificial intelligence cameras will be installed to detect the presence of wild animals.
Special kiosks will be set up to ensure distribution of clean water and 200 new taps will be installed along the pilgrimage route. A temporary laboratory will be set up to test the quality of drinking water from time to time.
As many as 500 buses will be deployed for operating the Sabaramala special services and of this, 200 buses will be used for chain service and 277 buses for long distance services. The number of buses for special service will be doubled on the Makaravilakku day.
Facilities of the Health Department will be functioning round the clock at all important locations including Sannidhanam, Apachemedu, Neelimala, Pampa and Nilakkal. As many as 15 emergency medical centres will be opened.
The Public Works Department has initiated works on 16 roads in view of the pilgrimage season. The Southern Railway will be operating special services for the inter-State pilgrims.
Devaswom Minister K.Radhakrishnan, Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas and K.Ananthagopan, president, Travancore Devaswom Board and others were present
