The Kerala government has launched the Sabari digital portal and a WhatsApp chatbot ahead of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season to provide real-time information on darshan, transport, accommodation, healthcare, emergencies and other services at Sabarimala.
Revenue Minister A P Anilkumar inaugurated the two services on Thursday. Developed by the Pathanamthitta district administration, the system is intended to bring pilgrimage-related information onto a single platform and improve coordination between departments, according to an official statement.
The portal can be accessed without downloading a separate application. It covers facilities at Pamba, Nilakkal and Sannidhanam, including drinking water points, toilets, medical centres, hospitals, police services, parking areas, rest facilities and ATMs. Pilgrims can use Google Maps to locate nearby services.
Information on darshan waiting times, the number of pilgrims who have completed darshan, pooja timings, darshan schedules and water levels at the Pamba Triveni bathing ghat will also be made available. The platform includes official announcements, safety alerts, pilgrimage guidelines and trekking routes.
A key feature allows users to report missing persons and lost belongings, including mobile phones. Complaints will be forwarded automatically to the police control room, while updates on action taken will be sent through WhatsApp. Users can upload photographs while filing complaints.
The system has also been integrated with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation to provide information on long-distance services from Pamba, Nilakkal-Pamba chain services and special buses. Train timings at Chengannur, Thiruvalla and Kottayam railway stations will be available through the portal. Pilgrims can also access the locations and telephone numbers of government hospitals and medical colleges and contact hospitals directly.
The portal includes a price-monitoring facility for shops at Pamba, Nilakkal and Sannidhanam. Official commodity prices will be displayed in multiple languages. Through the ‘Check My Bill’ feature, pilgrims can verify purchases and report overcharging or failure to issue bills by providing shop details.
Complaints related to sanitation, public toilets, KSRTC services and the Travancore Devaswom Board will be routed to the relevant control rooms and inspection squads. Emergency numbers, including 112, 1077, 108, 100 and 101, can be accessed directly.
An administrative dashboard will allow officials to monitor staff deployment, attendance, duty allocation and performance reports. It will also track sanitation work across 15 sectors at Sannidhanam, involving around 300 to 400 sanitation workers. The system is scheduled to integrate information on weather, temperature, reservoir water levels, wildlife attacks, vehicle accidents, bus services and inspections by price-control squads.
During a review meeting on pilgrimage preparations at Pamba, Anilkumar directed departments to coordinate on cleanliness, safety and service quality. He called for measures to prevent discarded clothes from entering the Pamba River and directed officials to strengthen awareness campaigns and establish a mechanism for their prompt removal.
The minister also called for expanded electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, including at least two charging stations during the pilgrimage season, particularly at Nilakkal. The Travancore Devaswom Board was directed to strengthen multilingual announcements at Pamba and Sannidhanam for pilgrims arriving from outside Kerala. Officials were also instructed to begin preparations for the next pilgrimage season immediately after the current one ends.
