Sabarimala sets target of 75 pilgrims a minute on holy steps

As many as 75 pilgrims are expected to climb the 18 holy steps to the Sabarimala shrine every minute under a new crowd management target set by the authorities for the annual pilgrimage season, which kicks off on Tuesday.

Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan said the police had been given necessary directions to achieve the target. Senior police officers were also reviewing the arrangements on the instructions of the Home Minister.

The Minister also sought to dismiss concerns over the availability of appam and aravana during the season. He said his visit to the production centre had convinced him of the efforts being made by employees to ensure uninterrupted production by working round the clock.”The Devaswom Board had assured us that the pilgrimage season could be completed smoothly if 75 lakh tins of aravana were made available,” he said.

He also assured that the State government would release the first instalment of payments due to local self-government bodies for setting up facilities for pilgrims within a couple of days.

Instructions had also been issued to ensure adequate stocks of medicines at healthcare centres. All government departments involved in the pilgrimage arrangements were working in coordination to discharge their responsibilities, he said.

Preparations for next year’s pilgrimage season would begin as soon as the current season concluded. The government had decided to launch infrastructure development works for the next season as early as February, after the temple closes following the pilgrimage season, the Minister added.