Authorities Fail to Handle Sabarimala Pilgrim Rush, Spot booking Counters Relocated in Hurry
Pilgrim Mismanagement at Sabarimala: Spot Booking
Counters Shut Down Amid Chaos
Sabarimala: A glaring error in crowd management has
caused severe disruptions for pilgrims at Sabarimala. Due to poor planning by
authorities, devotees faced over eight hours of waiting to climb the sacred 18th
step, sparking frustration and chaos. The situation highlights a lack of
foresight in handling the surge of pilgrims during peak festival times.
Key Failures:
Miscalculation
of Pilgrim Flow
- The
police and administrative teams underestimated the number of pilgrims,
leading to unprecedented queues extending all the way to Marakkoottam.
- Thousands
of devotees were forced to wait for hours, with no proper arrangements to
manage the overwhelming crowd.
- Childrens
are suffering in q-lines
Devotees Suffer in Long Queue
Lines Due to Lack of Basic Facilities
Both children and adults are enduring extreme discomfort
while waiting in long queue lines at pilgrimage sites. The absence of essential
amenities, such as food and drinking water, is exacerbating the situation. The
overcrowded and poorly managed queues have led to suffocating conditions, with
devotees enduring hours of waiting in distress.
- Lack
of Basic Facilities: There is a severe shortage of food and drinking water
along the queue lines, leaving pilgrims struggling to meet their basic
needs.
- Health
Risks Due to Overcrowding: The suffocating conditions have led to physical
exhaustion, with devotees being forced to wait for hours without relief.
- Emergency
Incident: In a concerning incident yesterday, a devotee fainted and fell
unconscious due to the stifling heat and overcrowding. The police rushed
to the scene and carried the individual to safety, highlighting the urgent
need for better crowd management and facilities.
It is imperative that authorities take immediate action
to improve the conditions by providing adequate food, water, and ventilation,
and implementing better crowd control measures to ensure the safety and
well-being of all pilgrims.
Prepared
Counter Relocation
- In
a hasty decision, three of the seven spot booking counters at Pampa were
shifted to Nilakkal, further confusing and inconveniencing pilgrims.
- This
last-minute change failed to address the root cause of the congestion and
added another layer of chaos.
Unsafe
Alternatives Taken by Pilgrims
- Frustrated
by the delays, many pilgrims abandoned the designated routes and ventured
into dangerous forest paths, guided only by mobile lights.
- These
unsafe shortcuts, such as the Chandranandan Road, highlight the
authorities’ failure to provide clear instructions and safe alternatives.
Inadequate
Crowd Control Measures
- Despite the visible crowd surge, police efforts to control the situation were insufficient, leaving many pilgrims stranded at Neelimala and Sabari Peedom for hours.
- Pampa remains overcrowded, with no tangible signs of improvement in the flow of devotees.
Traffic Ban on Plappally-Thulappally Road for Sabarimala
Pilgrims During Makaravilakku Festival
In an effort to ensure the safety of pilgrims and the
general public, authorities have imposed a ban on the entry and movement of
vehicles along the Plappally-Thulappally road. This restriction will remain in
effect until the conclusion of the Makaravilakku festival.
Conclusion:
The chaos at Sabarimala underscores serious flaws in
planning and execution by the authorities. The mismanagement has not only
caused delays and frustration but also compromised the safety of thousands of
pilgrims. Unless proactive and effective measures are implemented, the
situation risks becoming a recurring embarrassment during major pilgrimage
seasons.
