Elaborate arrangements have been made to provide better facilities to pilgrims coming to Sabarimala for the Makaravilakku festival that begins on Monday, festival chief coordinator K. Jayakumar has said.
Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Jayakumar said streamlined and scientific crowd management was the need of the hour to ensure smooth darshan for all pilgrims.
He said he had convened a meeting of the District Collectors and Superintendents of Police of the districts of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki at Kottayam on December 28 to seek their active involvement in ensuring better coordination among various government departments at Pampa, Sabarimala, Nilackal, Erumely, and various other base camps of pilgrims during the festival.
Better coordination among the police force deployed at the Sannidhanam, Pampa, and Nilackal was very important to avoid the confusion and chaos similar to that witnessed during the last lap of the Mandalam festival.
Parking space
Mr. Jayakumar said additional space for parking at least 7,000 heavy vehicles had been provided at the Nilackal base camp. He said additional traffic wardens would be posted at Nilackal to optimise the use of the parking lots.
Mr. Jayakumar said the existing facilities at the two queue complexes at Saramkuthy and Sabaripeedhom would be utilised in the best possible manner to ease the stress on pilgrims.
Safety measures
Mr. Jayakumar said elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure the safety of pilgrims congregating at Pulmedu, Panchalimedu, Parunthumpara, and various other places to worship the Makarajyoti on Makaravilakku day.
He said the police and the Revenue Department had been directed to strengthen the barricades at these places in a time-bound manner. The district administration would make arrangements to light up these places.
Sufficient number of Aska lamps had been made available for lighting the forest interiors.
Various other recommendations of the Justice Hariharan Nair Commission that inquired into the Pulmedu stampede had been taken into consideration while making the arrangements, he said.
A festival control room would be opened at Vandiperiyar under the Sub-Collector of Devikulam to coordinate the functioning of various government agencies during the Makaravilakku festival.
Annadanam
Mr. Jayakumar said the high-power committee for the implementation of the Sabarimala master plan would explore the possibility of constructing an Annadana Mandapam at Pampa too by the next pilgrim season.
The Travancore Devaswom Board could even think of closing down a few commercial establishments to facilitate space, he said
