Kottayam, September 7, 2013: The arrangements for the ensuing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season at Sabarimala will be over by November 1, V.S. Sivakumar, Minister for Devaswoms, has said.

Speaking at a meeting called by the government to review the preparations for the pilgrim season at Erumeli on Friday, Mr. Sivakumar said the focus would be on ensuring coordinated functioning of the various government departments to provide better service to the pilgrims. Top on the agenda would be the maintenance of the roads leading to Sabarimala. According to the Minister, Rs.75 crore sanctioned last year for taking up heavy maintenance work on the Sabarimala roads would be utilised for the purpose. This year the government has ear marked Rs.153 crore for the purpose. “The decision to release this amount will be taken in the next meeting of the Cabinet,” he said.

The District Collector has been entrusted with the task of cleaning the Erumeli Thodu. A sum of Rs.2.15 crore from the River Management Fund will be used for the purpose.

The meeting assessed that the Safe Zone project, implemented last year to provide emergency services to the needy, had been a big success and it was decided that the project should be enhanced during the ensuing pilgrim season.

All government departments would have to finalise a mini action plan for the pilgrim season, it was decided. The progress of the preparations would be reviewed by a team led by local MLA P.C. George. The final stocktaking would be done at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on October 27 at Pampa.

Source: The Hindu, September 7, 2013