The Kerala High Court has laid down new directives for managing the influx of pilgrims at Sabarimala Temple during the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival.

Under the leadership of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice G. Girish, the Division Bench issued a set of specific guidelines:

The Chief Police Coordinator stationed at Sannidhanam has been tasked with regulating pilgrim movement via Pathinettampadi, ensuring their safety without compromising the darshan experience for maximum pilgrims.

A special queue will be designated for the movement of women, young children, and individuals with disabilities to ensure their safety.
The Travancore Devaswom Board is mandated to maintain cleanliness in queue complexes and pilgrim sheds by deploying 72 employees working round the clock in shifts. An Executive Magistrate will conduct daily inspections to ensure hygiene standards.

Adequate volunteers will be deployed by the Travancore Devaswom Board to offer 'chukku vellam' (a herbal drink) and biscuits to pilgrims stuck in queue complexes, pilgrim sheds, and along the trekking path.

Sufficient security personnel and staff will be stationed in parking grounds by the Travancore Devaswom Board to manage vehicle parking effectively.

Necessary steps will be taken if the Second Trach of FASTag is not operational for collecting parking fees at Nilakkal.

A controlled hold and release mechanism will manage the movement of vehicles to Nilakkal. Police are responsible for providing food, drinking water, and biscuits to pilgrims stranded between Laha and Nilakkal.

The possibility of NSS volunteers or local self-government institutions aiding in distributing drinking water and biscuits to pilgrims will be explored by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement), Pathanamthitta, will identify additional parking grounds along the Pathanamthitta route.

These directives were issued by the Court in response to a suo moto petition, considering the report submitted by the Special Commissioner of Sabarimala. The report highlighted the necessity for crowd management and the provision of adequate facilities to pilgrims during the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival season.

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