The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to request the Union government to increase the strength of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Sabarimala during the Mandalam - Makaravilakku pilgrimage season beginning in November.
TDB president M. Rajagopalan Nair said the decision was taken at a meeting of the Board at the Sannidhanam on Saturday.
Mr. Nair said the work on the temporary queue complex at Marakkoottom would be completed before the beginning of the pilgrim season. All the maintenance work in Sabarimala would begin in next ten days.
More close circuit televisions would be installed at the Sannidhanam and Pampa during the pilgrim season. The TDB would ensure a buffer stock of 20 lakh containers of Aravana when the Ayyappa temple opens for the annual pilgrim season on November 16 afternoon, he said.
V. Sasi, K. Cicily, TDB members, and K. Ravikumar, chief engineer, attended the board meeting.