Sabarimala: The annual pilgrimage season at Sabarimala continues to witness an overwhelming surge of devotees, with lakhs of pilgrims queueing for darshan over the past few days. However, the massive crowd has led to growing complaints about inadequate drinking water facilities along the queues.
Devotees reported long waiting hours without access to sufficient water, especially in the extended queue pathways leading to Sannidhanam. Many expressed concern over the lack of basic amenities despite the heavy pilgrim turnout during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.
Responding to the complaints, the newly appointed Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president K. Jayakumar announced immediate corrective measures. Jayakumar stated that 200 additional personnel have been deployed to assist pilgrims, ensure better crowd management, and supply drinking water to those waiting in long queues.
Jayakumar assured that improving pilgrim facilities is the board’s top priority and that more steps will be taken to maintain smooth darshan arrangements during the peak season. Jayakumar added that the TDB is closely monitoring the situation and would increase manpower and resources as needed.
With the festival season intensifying, authorities are urging devotees to stay hydrated and follow safety instructions while the administration works to streamline services for the large influx of pilgrims.
