Kerala’s local self-government department has allocated Rs 3.36 crore to 47 local bodies across six districts to improve infrastructure, sanitation and public facilities used during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season. The special grant will cover 38 grama panchayats and nine municipalities, according to a government order issued on November 12.
The funds are intended for upgrades at pilgrimage centres and halting stations, along with essential sanitation work required to manage the seasonal increase in visitors. The allocation places local bodies at the centre of preparations, with municipal and panchayat administrations responsible for maintaining facilities used by pilgrims along the wider route.
The department will conduct a special inspection to check whether the grant has been used for its stated purpose. The inspection requirement is intended to establish financial and operational accountability as local authorities undertake the works before and during the pilgrimage period.
The order does not specify the amount assigned to each local body or provide a project-wise list of works. It identifies the broad purposes of the funding as basic infrastructure improvements, facilities at pilgrimage locations and halting points, and sanitation activities intended to support the movement of large crowds.
The latest grant is part of a wider government effort to prepare infrastructure connected with the Sabarimala pilgrimage. Earlier, authorities sanctioned Rs 500 crore to the Public Works Department for the renovation, maintenance and development of roads leading to pilgrimage hubs.
The two allocations address different layers of the pilgrimage network. The PWD funding is focused on road links to pilgrimage destinations, while the Rs 3.36 crore grant is directed to local bodies handling facilities and sanitation closer to centres and stopping points. Together, the measures reflect the need to manage both regional access and the local infrastructure used by pilgrims after they reach the surrounding districts.
For the 47 local bodies receiving the special grant, the immediate administrative task will be to identify and complete eligible works while ensuring that sanitation services remain functional during periods of high footfall. The department’s planned inspection will provide the formal mechanism for checking how the money has been spent.
The government order does not announce a separate completion deadline or specify additional allocations. Implementation will therefore be tracked through the works undertaken by the 38 grama panchayats and nine municipalities and through the special inspection announced by the local self-government department.
