Sabarimala sets target of seventy-five pilgrims per minute on holy steps

Authorities have set a new crowd management goal for the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season, expecting seventy-five pilgrims to climb the eighteen holy steps every minute. The pilgrimage season kicks off on Tuesday. Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan stated that the police received necessary directions to reach this target. Senior police officers reviewed the arrangements following instructions from the Home Minister. The Minister addressed concerns about the supply of appam and aravana during the season. His visit to the production centre showed that employees were working round the clock to keep production uninterrupted. The Devaswom Board stated that making seventy-five lakh tins of aravana available would help complete the pilgrimage season smoothly.

Payments And Facilities

The State government will release the first instalment of payments due to local self-government bodies within a couple of days to help them set up facilities for pilgrims. Healthcare centres received instructions to maintain adequate stocks of medicines. All government departments involved in the arrangements are working together to carry out their duties. Preparations for next year will begin as soon as the current season ends. The government decided to start infrastructure development work for the next season in February, right after the temple closes.

Context

Sabarimala handles millions of devotees during its peak annual pilgrimage season, requiring careful coordination among multiple government departments and temple authorities to manage crowd safety and supplies. Managing large numbers of visitors on narrow mountain paths and temple steps is a key focus for authorities every year.