KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asked the Travancore Devaswom Board to inform the court about the arrangements being made for crowd management and the facilities provided to pilgrims at Makarajyothi viewpoints in Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. A division bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice G Girish passed the order in a case registered suo motu relating to crowd management at Sabarimala.
The court had earlier directed the district collectors and district police chiefs concerned to conduct inspections to ensure that viewpoints were provided with proper barricades to ensure the safety of the pilgrims on Makara Jyothi day. The court had also said that ambulance facility be provided at these viewpoints, except Apachimedu and Neelimala, and that sufficient drinking water also be provided.
The court directed the Kerala Water Authority to make provisions for an adequate supply of drinking water at U-turn and S-valavu at Pathanamthitta in consultation with the devaswom board.
The Sabarimala special commissioner had earlier submitted that there is a shortage of drinking water and light refreshments near U-turn and S-valavu. The court also directed the devaswom board to deploy more volunteers or employees at those locations, especially at night.
The devaswom board counsel submitted that there was underutilisation of parking facilities at Nilakkal despite the heavy footfall of pilgrims at Sannidhanam.