The State police have taken steps to check impersonation in the virtual queue introduced to facilitate smooth darshan at the Atyyappa temple during the annual pilgrim season, P. Chandrashekharan, Additional Director General of Police (Administration), has said.
Talking to The Hindu on Wednesday, Mr. Chandrashekharan said the police could successfully implement the virtual queue system at Sabarimala during the previous pilgrim season. A few complaints of impersonation were noticed owing to some technical problem. However, the police have corrected it this year by providing bar codes on the online receipts being issued at the time of registration.
The police officer said that as many as 7.5 lakh pilgrims made use of the facility last season. This time, the police expect a registration of not less than 32 lakh for the virtual queue system. It will be made compulsory for darshan at Sabarimala in a phased manner with a view to avoiding overcrowding.
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Pilgrims who register their names on the Kerala Police website need not wait for hours together in the queue for holy darshan during the season. They have to reach the Valiya Nadappanthal at the time allotted to them. They will be allowed to enter the general queue for holy darshan at the Lower Tirumuttom, bypassing the long-winding queue along the trekking path-Valiya Nadappanthal stretch. Moreover, they will be permitted to reach the Sannidhanam through the Chandranandan road from Marakkoottom.
Special officers
Mr. Chandrashekharan said P. Vijayan, Police Commissioner of Thrissur, would be posted as police special officer at the Sannidhanam in the first phase of the season beginning November 16. K.K. Chellappan, V.K. Rajendran, and T. Gopalakrishna Pillai will succeed him in the next three phases.
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