Pamba: Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Saturday vowed to transform Sabarimala into the country’s best pilgrimage centre, promising to introduce facilities on the Tirupati model after the current pilgrimage season.
Satheesan, who made his first visit to the famed hill shrine after assuming office as Chief Minister, began his climb to the temple after a review meeting at Pamba.
Dressed in the traditional black shirt and mundu worn by Ayyappa devotees, he set off for the hilltop shrine to have his first darshan of Lord Ayyappa as Chief Minister.
Enroute the climb with the rains beating down, Satheesan took time to meet and greet fellow pilgrims also going up the hill.
The temple was scheduled to open around 5 pm for the monthly pujas on the eve of the first day of the Malayalam month, in keeping with its customary practice.
Satheesan was expected to have darshan after the opening.
Speaking to the media after the review and coordination meeting of various departments at the Sree Rama Saketham auditorium in Pamba, the Chief Minister said steps would be initiated after the current pilgrimage season to provide devotees with facilities modelled on those at Tirupati.
The meeting reviewed preparations for the two-month-long Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season that begins next month, with the focus on smooth darshan, crowd management, safety, transport and healthcare.
Satheesan said the Travancore Devaswom Board had assured him that there would be no shortage of appam and aravana prasadam this season.
Offerings and prasadam would remain under the Board’s control.
Police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel would be deployed under the leadership of their respective chiefs to ensure the safety of pilgrims and facilitate smooth darshan.
To ease congestion at Pamba, a German-model shelter with a capacity to accommodate 6,000 people will be constructed at Nilakkal.
A mechanism will also be introduced to prevent discarded clothes at Pamba from becoming a waste management problem.
Facilities at pilgrim rest centres will be improved.
The government will deploy 22 medical emergency units and ensure better treatment facilities at hospitals.
Waste disposal will be carried out within a stipulated time frame.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation will operate 461 buses for pilgrims, while temple connectivity will be strengthened by linking various temples with Sabarimala.
The Motor Vehicles Department will intensify road safety inspections.
The Public Works Department is renovating the Chalakayam road for Rs 15 crore, with instructions to complete the work quickly.
Satheesan said all necessary arrangements would be made to ensure a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage during the current season, while the proposed post-season improvements would seek to raise Sabarimala’s standards as a major national pilgrimage destination.
–IANS–
