Pathanamthitta: In response to the escalating number of daily devotees at Sabarimala, authorities have decided to extend the darshan hours by one hour. The decision comes in an effort to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims seeking blessings at the sacred shrine. The Tantri (Chief Priest) has approved this decision, assuring that the extension will be smoothly implemented without any difficulties.
As part of the adjustments, it has also been agreed to open the temple doors earlier in the afternoon. However, amidst these changes, concerns have been raised by devotees regarding the lack of facilities at the queue complex established to manage the crowd. Pilgrims have reported staying in line for up to 14 hours.
The police and Devaswom Board are actively involved in efforts to control the traffic and address the challenges faced by devotees. Complaints have specifically been directed at the 18th step (Pathinettampadi), where police officers oversee the movement of pilgrims.
Furthermore, Kerala HC has ordered to limit the virtual queue booking for pilgrims from 90,000 to 80,000 due to the surge in devotee numbers.
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