Sabarimala, Friday, January 06, 2012: The aggregate revenue earnings during the Mandalam- Makaravilakku season at Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple has crossed Rs 135 crore.

TDB informed that the Sabarimala Sannidhanam turned into a sea of humanity by Thursday afternoon with tens of thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the country.

Meanwhile the district administration has launched elaborate preparations to ensure a smooth and trouble-free Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala to be held on January 15.

Devaswam Minister VS Sivakumar has said the police will make every possible security and safety measures at places where pilgrims’ used to congregate to witness the Makarajyoti on the Makaravilakku day. A CM- level meet will be held soon, he added.

District Collector has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to make necessary arrangements to serve medicated drinking water and biscuits to the pilgrims waiting in the queue inside the barricades along the Marakkoottom-Sannidhanam stretch of the traditional path as they have to wait in the long-winding queue even upto 15 hours during the rush days.

The police would set up Aska lights, drinking water kiosks and erect iron barricades at these places, he added.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation would deploy a total of 1000 buses for transportation of pilgrims from Pampa to Nilackal and various other destinations across the State on the Makaravilakku day.

The Collector said only KSRTC buses would be permitted on the Pampa-Nilackal stretch of the main trunk road leading to Sabarimala on January 12, 13 and 15 to avert possible traffic blocks during the peak days of he festival season.

(News agency)