Vijayan also said training should be given to police personnel and TDB employees on running the virtual queue system at Sabarimala.
Sabarimala Temple. (Wikimedia)
In view of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage, the Kerala government on Wednesday, 18 October, issued a slew of directions to ensure that devotees have a safe pilgrimage of the hilltop Sabarimala shrine this year too.
The directions were issued in a review meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Kerala High Court too has emphasised the need for implementation of its earlier orders for smooth pilgrimage for devotees.
The issue was considered by a bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Sophy Thomas.
At the meeting, the progress of the duties assigned to each department was evaluated, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.
All the departments and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided in the meeting that the work assigned to them and the preparations for the pilgrimage would be completed in time, the CMO statement said.
The chief minister, in the meeting, directed to monitor that drinking water is ensured for the devotees who come for the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage and that Sabarimala and adjoining areas are kept clean.
He also said that steps will be taken to remove the control of the Treasury Department over the activities related to Sabarimala.
Vijayan also said training should be given to police personnel and TDB employees on running the virtual queue system at Sabarimala, the statement said.
During the meeting, the TDB said it intended to implement the Tirupati model at Sabarimala with regard to the 18 queue complexes.
Additionally, a big screen will also be installed there, the TDB informed during the meeting, the statement said.
The various departments and TDB also gave details of the other measures taken to make the pilgrimage easier for devotees.
The Railways said that 250 special train services are expected to be operated this year for pilgrims, while the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said it will deploy 350 buses to ferry devotees to Sabarimala.
The PWD said it would ensure the roads up to Pampa were passable, and the forest department said four rapid response teams have been constituted to prevent wildlife attacks, the statement said.
The Fire and Rescue Department said it has deputed 1,852 people for duty, and besides that, there would be scuba divers and rubber boats to avoid any deal with any danger in Pampa.
The Food Safety Department will conduct inspections at regular intervals in the restaurants there, the statement said.
The Health Department said it will ensure that those running shops at Sabarimala have health cards.
The other measures included constructing 168 modern urinals. removing tree tops and vines that may fall on the path to the shrine, and setting up three teams of 10 persons each to take the injured to health centres on stretchers, the statement said.
People’s representatives, including MLAs, who were part of the meeting highlighted the need for more doctors in the hospitals on the Sabarimala road and to increase the number of cardiac care ambulances.
Considering the matters related to the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage seasons, the court referred to its earlier directives, including banning the use of decorated vehicles to transport devotees.
In its previous order, the court had made it clear that no vehicle, not even the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses, can sport decorations that are against the safety norms.
It had, however, permitted the KSRTC buses to display advertisements.
The bench, in its latest order, directed that two ambulances, including an off-road ambulance, should be made available at Sannidhanam in Sabarimala.
(With PTI inputs)
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