Virtual queue bookings to Sabarimala capped at 80,000 per day

Devotees will be given the option to select their preferred travel route while booking for darshan, enabling them to choose less congested routes.

To ensure effective crowd management on the Sabarimala hillock, authorities are taking steps to regulate influx of pilgrims during the upcoming Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

A high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday (October 4, 2024) decided to limit the virtual queue bookings to 80,000 people per day. Further, the devotees will be given the option to select their preferred travel route while booking for darshan, enabling them to choose less congested routes.

The meeting also discussed improving facilities along the forest route. To manage vehicular traffic during peak hours, specific centres will be identified along the route, and necessary infrastructure will be developed. Extra parking spaces will be arranged at Nilackal and Erumely – the two key base stations for pilgrims.

Focus will be given on completing road repairs and parking area maintenance before the pilgrimage season begins. Health check-ups will be conducted for members of the Vishudhi Sena, responsible for maintaining cleanliness throughout the pilgrimage zone.

Renovation of the Sabari guest house at Sannidhanam is expected to be completed this month, while the Pranavam guest house is already ready to welcome pilgrims.

Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan, Chief Secretary Sharada Muralidharan, State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb, and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President P.S. Prasanth were among those who attended the meeting.

As per estimates, more than 50 lakh devotees visited the temple during the previous pilgrimage season. The heavy influx led to significant delays and traffic disruptions, affecting areas as far as Kumily in Idukki and Kottayam. Pilgrims were often stuck in their vehicles for hours, leading to protests.

At one point, the situation also took a political turn as Opposition parties criticised the State government for lapses in crowd management.

With crowd control becoming a significant challenge, the police and the Pathanamthitta district administration even urged the TDB to reduce the number of virtual queue bookings during the Makaravilakku festival. The police, on its part, also cited the safety risks of exceeding the temple’s capacity.

Published - October 05, 2024 06:33 pm IST