Sabarimala Gears Up for a Bustling Pilgrimage Season

By the time the first pilgrim steps onto the holy path on November 16, the Chalakayam‑Pampa road is expected to be fully operational, with fresh lane markings slated for completion by the 15th. The push‑through was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Revenue Minister A P Anilkumar at Pampa, where officials mapped out a 24‑hour control‑room network at Pampa, Nilackal and Sannidhanam.

Each of the three control rooms will host nodal officers from key departments, their job being to keep an eye on crowds spread across 18 sectors in Sannidhanam and another 15 sectors in the adjoining hubs. It’s a massive coordination effort, but one that the state has become quite accustomed to over the years.

Health‑wise, the pilgrimage trail will see a noticeable upgrade: twenty‑two emergency medical centres will be up and running by November 10, a move that includes three ambulances stationed at Sannidhanam and, for the first time ever, an off‑road ambulance patrolling the forest route. A volunteer brigade of about 120 people will be on standby to carry stretchers, while CPR kits will be installed at every centre.

Under the banner ‘Nirmalam Sabarimala’, a large‑scale cleanliness campaign kicks off on November 9. Roughly a thousand sanitation workers are being deployed along the main arteries leading to the shrine, with the Clean Kerala Company already having cleared close to 50 tonnes of waste and scrap. The goal? A waste‑free stretch by the 15th.

Safety isn’t limited to health. The Motor Vehicles Department is rolling out its ‘Safe Zone’ project along the Pampa‑Laha stretch, complete with round‑the‑clock road‑safety patrols, mobile workshops and an AI‑driven parking system at Nilackal. All KSRTC buses and tractors have undergone thorough checks, and drivers have received fresh training modules.

Practical comforts are being addressed too. From the first day, pilgrims will find drinking water and refreshments at waiting queues, free toilets at Pampa and Sannidhanam, and a prepaid counter to manage dolly charges. In a nod to greener travel, the KSEB will install a fast‑charging station at Pampa capable of charging four electric vehicles simultaneously. Meanwhile, the Devaswom Board has bolstered its kitchen operations, stockpiling raw material to keep the supply of appam and aravana uninterrupted throughout the season.