THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala Development Authority will be constituted to coordinate and implement the works envisaged in the Sabarimala master plan. This was decided at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to review the development activities at the hill shrine.
Slots will be allotted in the morning for pilgrims who want ‘neyyabhishekham’ if they select that option while carrying out virtual queue booking. RFID scanners will be installed in various places between Pampa and Sannidhanam and also at the ‘pathinettam padi; and in front of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
The meeting decided to open the forest trek route to Sabarimala. Information regarding the resting places and guidelines to be followed by pilgrims will be delivered on the mobile phone once they register for virtual queue.
A comprehensive software will be developed to digitise activities from virtual queue booking to distribution of ‘prasadam’. Passes embedded with QR code will distributed which will be scanned automatically at important locations.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has been entrusted with the task and asked to submit a detailed report within a month.
Digital system will be put in place for offerings and money transactions will be converted to digital format. E-hundika system, that facilitates UPI-based payment through mobile phone upon scanning QR code, will be introduced. Facility will be provided to download coupon on prepayment while booking for ‘darshanam’ through virtual queue system.
Online payment system will be put in place for payment of user fee at toilet complexes and parking fee. The chief minister suggested that special debit cards should be provided to pilgrims for use in shops and toilets at Nilakkal, Pampa and Sannidhanam. Steps will be taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply at Sannidhanam and adjoining areas. It was also decided that boards in various languages displaying rates of doli and counters should be set up.