Crowd management systems at Sabarimala came under severe strain on the second day of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Meanwhile, the authorities described the rush as “dangerously high” and far beyond anticipated levels.

Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president K. Jayakumar warned that the situation was alarming and required immediate corrective steps to prevent a potential disaster.

Queues Breached, Crowd Surges Beyond Capacity

Officials reported that the number of devotees surged unexpectedly across the stretch from Nilakkal to the Sannidhanam, causing long hours of waiting and gridlocks along approach roads. Many pilgrims reportedly broke queues and rushed toward the 18 sacred steps, forcing police to intervene after barricades were breached.

Jayakumar stated that the massive crowd should never have been allowed to build up and that crowd flow at the holy steps must be strictly regulated, with an ideal pace of 80–90 devotees per minute. “There are around 20 queue complexes from Marakkootam to Saramkuthi, each capable of accommodating 500 to 600 people at a time. Drinking water and food have been arranged for those resting inside,” said Mr. Jayakumar. A coordinator has been appointed to oversee smooth operations.

“If devotees are provided more than just biscuits, they will sit inside. They should be made comfortable. They should be made to sit, and allowed out only when their turn comes,” he said.

Long Waits, Lack of Facilities Trigger Distress

Devotees, including children and the elderly, were compelled to wait in queues for up to 14 hours. Roads from Ilavungal and other points saw vehicles halted to reduce crowd pressure at Pampa, leaving pilgrims stranded without food or water. A shortage of drinking water worsened the ordeal, prompting the deployment of 200 workers for water distribution. Officials were instructed to ensure that anyone standing in queues for four hours receives water.

Queue Complexes Underutilised

Authorities admitted that queue complexes along the trekking path were not being effectively used, as many pilgrims avoided entering them. To prevent exhaustion-related collapses, the TDB ordered improvements, including providing light meals, seating space, and frequent announcements. Devotees using the complexes would not lose their queue priority, officials clarified.

Booking Caps Tightened After Massive Rush

Despite a cap of 90,000 daily pilgrims, 70,000 via virtual queue and 20,000 through spot booking the actual turnout crossed two lakh since Sunday evening, with around 44,000 arriving by Tuesday noon alone. Due to the unprecedented rush, police allowed nearly 37,000 spot bookings on Tuesday, exceeding the limit.

From Wednesday, real-time bookings are strictly limited to 20,000, and total entry is capped at one lakh per day. Seven new booking counters will operate at Nilakkal to prevent crowds from rushing to Pampa for tickets.

Maintenance, Water Supply and Cleanliness Step Up

Large teams, including 200 workers from Tamil Nadu, have been brought in for toilet cleaning and maintenance. Cleaning operations at Pampa were also accelerated following reports of poor sanitation. The staff mess remains incomplete and will operate temporarily from the annadanam hall.

Voluntary Organisations Criticise Restrictions

The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham accused the state government and the TDB of ignoring early warnings regarding crowd management. They alleged that authorities were distracted by other issues and had barred long-standing service organisations including Mata Amritanandamayi Math from distributing free food and water, depriving devotees of crucial support during long wait times.

“Apart from the sangham, several organisations including the Mata Amritanandamayi Math and Subramanya Religious Trust were also barred. There are no organisations left to support pilgrims,” alleged Ayyappa Seva Sangham general secretary D. Vijayakumar.

Accidents and Fatalities Reported

A 58-year-old woman from Koyilandy collapsed and died while waiting in the queue. In a separate incident, a bus carrying Karnataka pilgrims overturned near Erumely, injuring three people. All were treated and discharged.

With massive groups of Telugu pilgrims expected from December 1 to 5, officials fear even greater pressure on crowd systems unless urgent measures are sustained and reinforced.

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