Pathanamthitta: Virtual queue booking for devotees visiting Sabarimala during the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage will open on November 1 at 5 pm. Devotees can reserve their darshan slots through the official website sabarimalaonline.org.

A maximum of 70,000 devotees per day can register via the online portal. In addition, real-time booking counters will operate at Vandiperiyar Sathram, Erumely, Nilakkal, and Pampa, allowing up to 20,000 devotees daily to book in person for darshan.

Earlier, insurance coverage for Sabarimala pilgrims was limited to accidental deaths in four districts. From this season, the scheme has been expanded to offer ₹5 lakh coverage for accidents occurring anywhere in Kerala during the pilgrimage. 

The policy also includes ambulance expenses of up to ₹30,000 within Kerala and up to ₹1 lakh outside the state for transporting the deceased. In addition, the coverage has been extended to Devaswom Board’s permanent and daily wage employees on Sabarimala duty, as well as staff from other government departments involved in pilgrimage-related work.

Compensation was previously not available for natural deaths due to heart attacks, strokes, or other illnesses along the pilgrimage route from Nilakkal to Sannidhanam. However, a new Pilgrim Welfare Fund is being launched, providing financial assistance of ₹3 lakh to those who die of natural causes. The Travancore Devaswom Board has announced that an online virtual queue booking ID is considered the basic document for availing the insurance.