Police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure adequate security and better crowd management during the annual pilgrim season at Sabarimala.
P. Vijayan, City Police Commissioner, Thrissur, assumed charge as the Police Special Officer at Sannidhanam on Tuesday.
Mr. Vijayan told The Hindu that the police deployment at the Sannidhanam comprised 13 Deputy Superintendents of Police (Dy.Sps), 24 Circle Inspectors (CIs), 70 Sub-Inspectors and 800 civil police officers in the first phase.
A.V. George, Superintendent of Police, is the Special Officer at Pampa. As many as 10 Dy.SPs, 20 CIs, 700 civil police officers and 15 woman civil police officers have been deployed at Pampa.
A 150-strong Rapid Action Force attached to the Central Reserve Police Force and State commandos reached Sabarimala on Wednesday.
The commandos and RAF personnel had taken positions at sensitive points at the Sannidhanam, Pampa and along the trekking path, Mr. Vijayan said. He said every possible step had been taken to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims as well as the temple complex.
Bomb-detection squads, special intelligence teams and spotters from the neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka would be deployed at Sabarimala, he said.
Round-the-clock monitoring of various sensitive points identified by the police intelligence wing is in place at Sannidhanam. Electronic gadgets, including 360-degree cameras, have also been installed.
Resting place
Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar said that the High Power Committee (HPC) and Travancore Devaswom Board could facilitate more open space for the pilgrims to take rest at the holy hillock. This was made possible by demolishing a few old pilgrim shelters, and by shifting the copra-drying yard near the Valiya Nadappanthal.
TDB has considerably reduced the number of shops and hotels at Pampa and Sannidhanam on the recommendations of the HPC to provide more open space for the pilgrims.
Finishing touches
The TDB works department is busy with the last-minute finishing touches at various work sites at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilackal.
K. Ravikumar, TDB Chief Engineer, and Jolly Ullas, Executive Engineer, said the board would make necessary arrangements to streamline the pilgrim flow through the roofed pathway.
Work on the queue complex at Saramkuthi, which was delayed due to rain, would be completed within a month of the culmination of the pilgrim season, they said.
The roofing work of the queue complex at Sabaripeedhom is fast progressing. Mr. Ravikumar said that more accommodation facility had been provided for policemen on duty at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilackal.
Steel urinals have also been provided at different points along the Chandranandan Road as part of an initiative to ensure better hygiene and cleanliness on the trekking path.
Healthcare facility
The Health Department has set up a full-fledged hospital at Nilackal base camp at a three-storey building provided by the TDB. This is besides the government hospitals at Pampa and Sannidhanam; and cardiology centres at Neelimala-Top and Appachimedu.
The Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences(AIMS), Kochi, has opened Sree Ayyappa Medical Centre at Pampa. K. Mohanachandran Nair, AIMS liaison officer, said the medical centre had got all advanced healthcare facilities.
A modern ambulance facility to transport critically ill patients, free of cost, to the nearest major hospital or the AIMS in Kochi has also been put in place by AIMS.
Sabarimala Sanitation Society chaired by the Pathanamthitta District Collector has deployed as many as 750 sanitation workers at the Sannidhanam, Pampa, Nilackal and Pandalam.
Annadanam
The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS) started Annadanam (providing food to devotees free of cost) at Sabarimala on Wednesday.
The ABASS stretcher unit headed by Thanchavur Damodaran has deployed as many as 80 volunteers at the Sannidhanam and along the trekking path to lend a helping hand to sick pilgrims.
