Kerala High Court Issues Directions For Crowd Management At Sabarimala

The Kerala High on Monday issued directions for crowd management in Sabarimala Temple, anticipating heavy footfall for the upcoming days amid Mandala festival. State has also decided to limit the number of online virtual queue bookings to 90,000 per day, Senior Government Pleader informed the Court. However, spot booking will be permitted without any restrictions.

The Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P. G. Ajithkumar was considering issues regarding crowd management at Nilakkal Pamba and Sannidhanam. It directed the District Administration to ensure that all pilgrims have comfortable pilgrimage and darshan:

• The present pace at which the pilgrims ascent the holy steps per minute is 65-70. This will have to be increased to 75-80. Special instructions have been given in this regard to personnel on duty at holy steps. The 100 Indian Reserve Battalion personnel have been exclusively deputed for duty at holy steps.
• The existing to and fro movement to Sannidhanam should be strictly followed. Infiltration to Chandranandan road must be strictly avoided by foot patrol teams.
•  Additionally, 422 policemen are deployed at Sannidhanam in this phase.
•  If the flow to Sabarimala is beyond expectation, efforts will be taken to slow down traffic/block at places like Erumely, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam etc. and nearby places with prior information to District Collector and Special Commissioner.
• Announcement has to be done at Sannidhanam and Pamba requesting devotees who had darshan should return to Pamba at the earliest, so that heavy crowd in temple premises can be avoided.

On Sunday, the Court held a Special online sitting to consider issues of crowd management at Marakkoottam, traffic control from Laha to Nilakkal and from Kannamala to Elavunkal and also parking at Nilakkal. It had asked the Travancore Devaswom Board (in consultation with the Tantri of Sabarimala Temple) whether the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple can remain open for another half hour or one hour to ensure that all pilgrims have comfortable pilgrimage and darshan during the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival. 

Now, the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala Sannidhanam remains open for 18 hours a day. It is for the Board, in consultation with the Tantri of Sabarimala, to consider the question as to whether the sanctum sanctorum can remain open for 'half an hour' or 'one hour' more.

This is because even though the maximum pilgrim flow possible through Pathinettampadi is above 1,00,000 per day, only 86,400 pilgrims per day can have darshan at Sabarimala Sannidhanam when the sanctum sanctorum remains open for 18 hours.

The Court had also directed the District Collector and the District Police Chief to evolve a crowd management plan for Marakkoottam. Reportedly, a few police personnel on duty sustained minor injuries due to high footfall.

The official respondents were also directed to take necessary steps to ensure that parking in all 16 parking grounds at Nilakkal is appropriately regulated. When the parking grounds reach their maximum capacity, the entry of vehicles to Nilakkal must be regulated by the Police, Court directed.

Having considered the submissions made at the Bar, we deem it appropriate to direct the District Police Chief to arrange Police patrolling on motorcycles, on the routes 'Laha - Nilakkal' and 'Kannamala – Elavunkal', when the movement of vehicles is blocked for long periods. In case the movement of vehicles is blocked for a considerably long period, the Travancore Devaswom Board shall make necessary arrangements for providing 'chukkuvellam' and biscuits to pilgrims in such vehicles, the Court added. 

The matter has been posted for 13th December for further consideration. 

Case Tile: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala & Ors. 

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