With less than three weeks left for the annual pilgrimage season at Sabarimala to begin, the Travancore Devaswom Board and various governments departments are racing to finalise preparations.
On Tuesday, Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan convened a meeting at Pampa to review the arrangements in place. The meeting decided to appoint Arun S. Nair as Sabarimala ADM to oversee general coordination of the pilgrimage.
The Kerala State Transport Project and National Highways wing have been instructed to implement safety measures in accident-prone areas, such as Mannarakulanji, Chethonkara, and Uthimoodu. A discussion with the Health Minister is planned to address pilgrim facilities at Konni Medical College.
The Minister also urged the Kerala Water Authority to expedite its remaining projects. The Health department, meanwhile, will ensure the availability of anti-venom for pilgrims travelling through forest routes in case of snakebite emergencies.
Efforts are underway to open the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom building to provide more accommodations for duty officers at Sannidhanam. The Local Self-Government department has been instructed to allocate funds to local bodies for pilgrimage-related arrangements, while the Public Works department aims to complete road repair by November 10.
The Police, Excise, and Forest departments have been instructed to work collaboratively, forming special squads and conducting joint inspections.
In a bid to ease traffic congestion on the Sabarimala roads, additional parking for 2,000 vehicles will be made available at Nilackal. Parking facilities will also be arranged on the six-acre site of the State Housing Board in Erumely.
Around 100 specialist doctors will be deployed in and around Sannidhanam to provide medical support to pilgrims. An awareness campaign discouraging the disposal of clothes in the Pampa River will be introduced during slot booking in the virtual queue.
Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, addressing the gathering, stated that a final review meeting will be held to assess the Forest department’s preparations. Devaswom department Special Secretary T.V. Anupama presided over the meeting.
Published – October 29, 2024 07:58 pm IST
