Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the state government would exert more pressure on the Central government to accord national pilgrimage centre status to the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. “Sabarimala has grown even bigger than a national pilgrim centre. We will streamline and hasten activities connected with setting up of a greenfield airport here which will facilitate pilgrimages from all over,” Vijayan, only the second CPM leader to visit the hill shrine, said after chairing a meet at Sannidhanam to review preparedness for the over two-month long ‘Mandalam-Makaravilakku’ pilgrimage season that starts on November 16.
The government would also complete the land acquisition process for the Sabari rail project on a warfooting. The railways should operate more special trains during the festival season and open reservation counters at places like Pamba, he said. There will be a ban on carrying drinking water in plastic bottles this time too. However, all arrangements have been made to provide water through kiosks set up by the Kerala Water Authority.
“We will hold an awareness campaign against polluting the holy river Pamba. Steps will be taken to ensure safety of pilgrims throughout the forest trekking paths. The Forest department should take a practical approach to extend facilities to pilgrims without affecting wildlife,” the chief minister said. The PWD will carry out the repair works of 37 main roads and 167 sub-roads before the start of the pilgrimage season for which a fund of Rs 140.76 crore was allotted. The KSRTC will conduct 400 chain services between Nilackal and Pamba while a total of 1000 buses will ply to the hill shrine from various destinations. Vijayan, who trekked up the nearly four km forest path from Pamba to reach Sannidhanam on Monday night, also inaugurated the stone-laying function of a Guest House to be built by the Tourism department there.
