KSRTC to Deploy Over 1,000 Buses for Sabarimala Pilgrimage

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will operate 461 buses during the Mandala pooja period and 561 buses during the Makaravilakku festival as part of its arrangements for the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

The authorities said the fleet would be augmented as the number of pilgrims increases, including through leased buses. The arrangements are intended to support the safe and smooth transportation of Ayyappa devotees throughout the pilgrimage season.

Services from Pampa, Nilakkal and major depots

The transport plan includes chain services between Pampa and Nilakkal, along with phased services connecting major depots and special service hubs across the State. Special services will operate from Pampa, Nilakkal, Chengannur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Erumeli, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam, Kumily, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Adoor, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kayamkulam.

Nilakkal will have 180 buses during the Mandala-pooja period and 220 buses during Makaravilakku. Chengannur will have 60 buses during the Mandala-pooja period and 80 during Makaravilakku, while Kottayam will have 50 and 60 buses, respectively.

The deployment will therefore vary between the two phases, with higher allocations planned at several key points during Makaravilakku. Additional buses will also be positioned at Pampa and Nilakkal based on data on pilgrim arrivals and departures, officials said.

Chartered trips and overnight facilities

The KSRTC Budget Tourism Cell will arrange chartered Sabarimala pilgrimage trips, with facilities for online reservations. Special services to Pampa will also be operated as required from temples near KSRTC depots and designated service hubs.

KSRTC will soon publish a list of more than 70 temples selected for the service. Additional services and trips will be scheduled based on requests from public representatives, officials said.

The arrangements will also include facilities for pilgrims to rest and stay overnight. This will be part of the wider support planned at the service locations connected with the pilgrimage transport network.

Parking and crowd management measures

Facilities at Pampa and Nilakkal, including bus parking, garages, staff accommodation and sanitation systems, will be improved. Priority will be given to ensuring adequate parking at Nilakkal and preventing unauthorised parking.

Police assistance will be provided near the bus station, while waiting sheds and barricades will be installed at Triveni. Coordination with the Pampa control room will be strengthened to manage crowds and ensure the timely deployment of buses.

In coordination with other departments, KSRTC will take steps to curb unauthorised parallel transport services and illegal parking along the Nilakkal-Pampa route and at other key locations that could disrupt official bus operations.

Operations will be coordinated through special transport management committee meetings involving elected public representatives at Pampa, Chengannur and other locations.

Staff deployment in two phases

A total of 1,456 staff members will be deployed at Pampa and Nilakkal in two phases to ensure smooth transportation throughout the pilgrimage season, officials said. Of these, 678 staff members will be deployed during the Mandala-pooja period and 778 during Makaravilakku.

The phased deployment of buses, staff and support facilities is intended to allow KSRTC to respond to changes in pilgrim movement during the two major periods of the Sabarimala season.

Source: The Hindu