Attukal gears up to welcome Sabarimala pilgrims

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If everything goes as per the district authorities' plan, Ayyappa devotees will have a hassle-free time at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple this season. Both the district administration and the temple trust are giving final touches to the special arrangements at for the Sabarimala pilgrims arriving at the temple.

It was last year that the district authorities decided to set up a halting point (idathavalam) at Attukal with the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple turning a must-visit pilgrimage centre and a large number of Sabarimala pilgrims flocking to the city.

Devaswom and health minister V S Sivakumar inaugurated the 24X7 police control room and KSRTC service on Friday evening. The neatly asphalted two-and-a-half acre parking bay that can accommodate up to 150 buses at a time, will be ready by Monday.

"Apart from that, the health department will provide a mobile clinic at the temple for the devotees and steps will be initiated towards controlling epidemic diseases. Suchitwa Mission, Thiruvananthapuram corporation and health department will ensure cleanliness on the premises and a team of 200 policemen will manage the security, traffic and smooth flow of devotees. We hope the devotees will have hassle-free time at Attukal," said Thiruvananthapuram revenue divisional officer Mohammed Mustafa.

Apart from these, the temple authorities are arranging showers, water taps, free food, open kitchen, shelter and bed space for the pilgrims.

"We are spending Rs 20 lakh to asphalt the parking bay and Rs 50 lakh to construct permanent refreshment complex for this season which will be ready in a few days. We also constructed a building for an Indian Coffee House outlet and a shopping complex at a cost of Rs 20 lakh and Rs 18 lakh, respectively," said Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust secretary M S Jyothishkumar.

District authorities said KSRTC services have already started connecting Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Attukal Temple. "This would help ease traffic congestion in city due to Ayyappa devotees' vehicles. Services made available at Attukal and Sree Padmanabhaswamy temples will be exhibited and announced in five languages at Attukal. A meeting of hoteliers, roadside tea-food stalls and vendors is convened on Saturday to reach a consensus on the rates of food items to be distributed," said the RDO.

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