Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said that extensive police arrangements will be put in place to ensure the safety and convenience of pilgrims during the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage. The Minister chaired a high-level meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to review police preparations for the pilgrimage season. As part of efforts to regulate the pilgrim rush, awareness campaigns will be conducted to urge devotees to make maximum use of the virtual queue system.

The State Police Chief will directly inform his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka about the arrangements to ensure pilgrim safety. Press releases and social media campaigns would be organised in regional languages, while signboards and public announcement systems would be installed at key locations to provide information to pilgrims.

Mr. Chennithala issued directions to the police personnel deployed for the pilgrimage duty to maintain a friendly and empathetic approach towards devotees. The services of the Rapid Action Force and the Fire and Rescue Force will be ensured to deal with exigencies. Mock drillls will also be conducted to ensure that fire hydrants along important routes, including Marakkoottam, remain functional. Security arrangements and police services at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal will also be coordinated effectively.

The parking arrangements at Nilakkal and Chakkupallam will be streamlined in order to improve transportation facilities for pilgrims. Soil will be removed at Chakkupallam to create additional parking space for between 400 and 500 vehicles. The fitness and speed of vehicles that ferry pilgrims will be strictly monitored in coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department.

The Kerala Police will also bolster CCTV surveillance at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal and link the feeds to the police control room. Special security arrangements will be provided at Kunnar Dam, the water tank at Pandithavalam, LPG cylinder storage facilities and fireworks storage areas. Adequate lighting will also be ensured at necessary locations.

It was also decided to undertake mandatory police verification for people working at commercial establishments at Sannidhanam and Pampa. They will also be required to carry identification cards while on duty. The disposal of clothes in the Pampa river will be strictly prohibited. The Minister also directed that quality food, hygienic accommodation and drinking water be provided to the police personnel deployed for duty. The repairs and maintenance of police camps and toilets will be completed before November 1.

Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department Minhaj Alam, State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, Additional Director General of Police and Sabarimala Chief Police Coordinator P. Vijayan and other senior officials also attended the meeting.