Barricading at the Pamba ghat will be completed before Friday ahead of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, Kerala water resources minister Mons Joseph has directed, as departments accelerate safety, drinking water and sanitation arrangements along the pilgrimage route.
Joseph issued the instruction during a review meeting at the district planning committee secretariat in Pathanamthitta. The chief engineer and superintending engineer of the irrigation department have been assigned responsibility for completing the barricading work. Officials also reviewed pilgrimage-related works being carried out by the irrigation department and the Kerala Water Authority.
According to officials at the meeting, renovation work at the ghats has been completed satisfactorily and waste at the Pamba ghats has been cleared. The department will coordinate with the Kerala State Electricity Board to regulate water levels in the dams and maintain the river at a safe level during the pilgrimage period.
Barricading at the Pandalam transit point will also be completed on an urgent basis, the minister said. The transit point forms part of the wider movement network used by pilgrims travelling towards Sabarimala, making crowd control and the safe management of waiting areas important during periods of heavy movement.
Drinking water will be provided to pilgrims waiting in queues at Pamba before proceeding to Sabarimala. A temporary drinking-water arrangement will also be established along the forest path in coordination with the Travancore Devaswom Board. The route connects several service points used by pilgrims and requires facilities to operate despite its difficult terrain and seasonal demand.
The authorities plan to create a permanent drinking-water system along the forest path after the pilgrimage season. That system will be developed after discussions with the Travancore Devaswom Board and the forest department. Water kiosks and cleaning facilities between Pamba and Sannidhanam will remain functional during the pilgrimage, according to the arrangements reviewed at the meeting.
