TDB, KSRTC take a hit as fewer pilgrims trek to Sabarimala

TDB, KSRTC take a hit as fewer pilgrims trek to Sabarimala
In the first four days after the temple opened, around 75,000 pilgrims arrived at Sabarimala.

Pamba: Amid a political standoff, police regulations and controversy over women's entry at Sabarimala, the number of pilgrims heading to the hill shrine has seen a stark dip compared to earlier years.

In the first four days after the temple opened, around 75,000 pilgrims arrived at Sabarimala. However, two lakh people had offered prayers at Sabarimala in the same period last year. The officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, have said that this has drastically affected the revenue. In these first four days, the TDB could barely collect a revenue of Rs 10 crore, while last year the board amassed Rs 19.5 crore.

So far in the current season, over seven lakh devotees have registered online for darshan of the deity on various days.

Most of the rooms in the Devaswom guest house are unoccupied. Many who had booked online did not attempt the holy trek due to the tense situation in the region.

There are 646 rooms for pilgrims that get taken in no time. However, this time around, half of the rooms remain vacant.

The dip in pilgrims has also affected the KSRTC, which is already reeling under severe financial crisis. The number of trips to Pamba has been cut short.

The main reason for this has been the tightening of the rules for pilgrimage by the police, after protests over the Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged 10-50.

The apex court on November 13 refused to stay the September verdict.

The CPM-led Left Democratic Front government has been trying to implement the apex court's verdict, even as the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and several Hindu groups are up in arms against the violation of the temple tradition.

HC slams prohibitory orders

However, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday slammed the police for its alleged excesses on devotees going to Sabarimala and sought all records relating to prohibitory orders clamped in the temple complex and nearby areas.

Flaying the police for the alleged excesses on pilgrims at Sannidhanam, the court said there was no bar for devotees to go in a group to Sabarimala.

It also directed police not to obstruct Ayyappa devotees chanting mantras at Sannidhanam.

The court had warned that stringent action would be taken against police officials if such incidents were repeated.

Sixty nine protesters were arrested after they held a Namajapa protests inside the temple complex late on Sunday, defying prohibitory orders.

The police on Wednesday night lifted curbs imposed during night at Pamba, the base camp for Sabarimala. Earlier, the authorities had imposed restrictions for devotees visiting the hill shrine between 9.30 pm to 2 am.

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