KSRTC to deploy over 1,000 buses for Sabarimala pilgrimage
THE Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will deploy more than 1,000 buses in phases to ensure the safe and smooth transportation of Ayyappa devotees during the annual Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
In the first phase, 461 buses will operate during the Mandala pooja period and 561 during the Makaravilakku festival. The fleet will be expanded in response to the increase in pilgrim arrivals, with leased buses also being pressed into service if required, officials said.
Apart from regular chain services between Nilakkal and Pampa, KSRTC will operate special services connecting major depots and designated transport hubs across Kerala.
Special services will be available from Pampa, Nilakkal, Chengannur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Erumeli, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam, Kumily, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Adoor, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kayamkulam.
Nilakkal, the main transit point for pilgrims travelling to Pampa, will have 180 buses during the Mandala pooja period and 220 during Makaravilakku. Chengannur will have 60 and 80 buses, respectively, while Kottayam will have 50 and 60.
The KSRTC Budget Tourism Cell will organise chartered trips to Sabarimala, with online booking facilities. Special services to Pampa will also be arranged, as required, from temples near KSRTC depots and designated service hubs. Facilities will be provided for pilgrims to rest and stay overnight.
KSRTC will soon publish a list of more than 70 temples selected for these services. Additional trips will be arranged based on demand and requests from public representatives, officials said.
Facilities at Pampa and Nilakkal, including bus parking areas, garages, staff accommodation and sanitation systems, will be improved ahead of the pilgrimage season.
Priority will be given to ensuring adequate parking at Nilakkal, preventing unauthorised parking and arranging police assistance near the bus station. Waiting sheds and barricades will also be installed at Triveni.
Coordination with the Pampa control room will be strengthened to manage crowds and ensure the timely deployment of buses. Additional services will be arranged at Pampa and Nilakkal based on information about the arrival and departure of pilgrims, officials said.
In coordination with other departments, KSRTC will take steps to prevent unauthorised parallel transport services and illegal parking along the Nilakkal-Pampa route and at other key locations that could disrupt official bus operations.
Special transport management committee meetings involving elected representatives will be held at Pampa, Chengannur and other locations to coordinate operations throughout the pilgrimage season.
KSRTC will deploy a total of 1,456 staff members at Pampa and Nilakkal in two phases to ensure uninterrupted transport services. Of these, 678 will be on duty during the Mandala pooja period and 778 during Makaravilakku, officials said.
