The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS) has asked the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to make necessary arrangements to ensure smooth pilgrim transport facility between Changannur railway station and Pampa during the 10-day Sabarimala temple festival that begins on Sunday.
Talking to the media on Thursday, ABASS vice president D. Vijayakumar said that pilgrims who reached Chengannur during the previous monthly ritual were put to hardships owing to the failure of the KSRTC authorities in operating special services to Pampa from the railway station as in the previous months.
Mr. Vijayakumar said not less than 10,000 pilgrims arrived at Chengannur railway station during the five-day monthly ritual period in February and most of them had to depend on private taxi operators for their travel needs between Chengannur and Pamba.
He said the KSRTC should post a duty station master at Chengannur railway station during the ensuing 10-day annual festival period at Sabarimala as a large number of pilgrims were expected to undertake pilgimage to the holy hillock during the period.
Mr. Vijayakumar said that neither the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) nor the State authorities had made proper arrangements to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to the pilgrims visiting Sabarimala during the previous monthly ritual period in the wake of the ban on plastic and PET bottles from February 1.
News : The Hindu
