(Image source from: Thenewsminute.com)
The UDF, led by Congress, has called on the government to dispatch a team of ministers to Pamba in order to address the challenges arising from the overwhelming influx of pilgrims at the shrine. Opposition leader V D Satheeshan proposed that the ministers promptly convene a high-level meeting to assess the situation and assign specific tasks to officials to manage the crowd and ensure basic amenities for the devotees. Meanwhile, the BJP issued a stern warning that they would initiate a protest if the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), responsible for the temple's administration, fail to improve the facilities for the devotees.
BJP state president K Surendran emphasized the difficulties faced by Sabarimala devotees, highlighting the lack of even basic necessities like water. Should the government persist in mishandling the situation, the party would be compelled to resort to direct agitation. Contrary to these claims, the government refuted the allegations made by the opposition parties. Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan assured that immediate measures are being implemented by the police and authorities to manage the crowd at the shrine. It is worth noting that the shrine receives more than one lakh devotees daily, while its maximum capacity is limited to 80,000.
The minister stated that despite efforts to control the situation, pilgrims continue to enter the temple through unauthorized means. However, the situation has now been brought under control. The government has urged the opposition to refrain from politicizing the issue and to work together with the administration to restore normalcy. In response to the overwhelming number of devotees, the TDB has extended the darshan timings by one hour. Water and biscuits are being provided to those waiting in the queue. Previously, the Kerala police had requested the TDB to limit the number of devotees to 75,000 per day due to the high influx. Currently, the pilgrimage season sees a staggering 90,000 bookings per day through the virtual queue system and an additional 30,000 through spot booking.
