Kerala High Court caps Sabarimala footfall at 75,000 per day, mandates refundable security deposit

The Kerala High Court recently issued a slew of directions to streamline crowd management, infrastructure and administrative coordination for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage [Suo Motu v State of Kerala and ors]..A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar capped the maximum permissible devotees at 75,000 per day in order to balance the carrying capacity of the temple and to ensure safe and orderly darshan for pilgrims.This was based on the Travancore Devaswom Board's conclusion that the maximum number of devotees permitted per day from Pamba to Sannidhanam and from Nilakkal to Pamba should be restricted to 75,000 to strike a balance between facilitating pilgrimage and ensuring safety and manageability."The scientifically determined maximum daily pilgrim inflow from Pamba to Sannidhanam is 75,000 devotees. The assessed optimal carrying capacity at Sannidhanam is approximately 80,000 per day. The Virtual-Q booking cap is to remain fixed accordingly," the Court directed.Currently, devotees can enter the temple via virtual booking through the Travancore Devaswom Board website or spot booking which is physical booking through counters at Nilakkal, Vandiperiyar, Pampa, Erumeli and Chengannur.Both the virtual booking and spot booking must be capped and regulated to adhere to the limit of 75,000, the Court directed. Pertinently, the Court directed that a nominal, fixed, refundable security deposit to be introduced for each reservation slot through virtual booking to act as a deterrent against speculative bookings, slot-blocking and last-minute crowd surges. This amount will be refunded upon arrival within the allotted time window or adjusted against prasadam of equivalent value, the Court said.The Court stressed on the need to have a technology-driven and pilgrim-centric approach ahead of the Mandala Makaravilakku season 2026–27 which is the primary pilgrimage season at the Sabarimala Temple beginning in mid-November and concluding mid-January. The Court noted that a well structured mechanism, backed by advance planning and clearly defined timelines was necessary to manage the pilgrimage season.Thus, it the Travancore Devaswom Board to constitute the Sabarimala Infrastructure & Crowd Management Expert Committee which could undertake the scientific planning and crowd management for the upcoming season.The Court also asked the state government to submit a list of names of expert officers for constituting the committee, who have experience and knowledge in such domains, to prepare a comprehensive plan for the pilgrimage season.The case will be heard again on April 8..The order was passed in a suo motu petition which was initiated following concerns over crowd management during the previous Mandala Makaravilakku season..At the outset, the Court recorded its satisfaction with the detailed responses filed by the Travancore Devaswom Board, the State government and the police authorities.It observed that their approach reflected a conscious and coordinated effort to address the long standing deficiencies in the infrastructure, security and service delivery during the pilgrimage season at Sabarimala.The Court further directed the constitution of a multidisciplinary committee which would include specialists from transport engineering, urban planning, disaster management, environmental science, public health and data analytics, to prepare a scientific plan for the upcoming pilgrimage season.To ensure accountability, the Court suggested that a Coordination and Monitoring Task Force should be created to oversee the implementation of the committee's decision by the TDB, police, Kerala Water Authority, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Kerala State Electricity Board and the District administration.It also asked the State government to appoint a senior IAS officer as the Sabarimala Additional District Magistrate (ADM) to coordinate inter-departmental functions..On the technological front, the Court strongly backed the board's proposal to implement a comprehensive digitisation project in collaboration with Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KITFRA) and described this shift towards technology as a necessary tool for effective management during the pilgrimage season.It called for the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence-based (AI) Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) for real-time monitoring of the pilgrims through facial recognition, predictive crowd management and coordinated decision making, to ensure a safe and secure pilgrimage.The Court also flagged serious deficiencies in the existing CCTV infrastructure and ordered authorities to examine, fix and expand the surveillance systems.In relation to the virtual queue system, the Court noted that the platform needs an upgradation with real time updates on bookings as well as cancellation options. Hence, it suggested introducing a nominal security deposit for reservations in order to regulate the pilgrim inflow and to prevent speculative bookings."This amount will be refunded upon arrival within the allotted time window or adjusted against prasadam of equivalent value. If the devotee fails to arrive within the scheduled window, the booking amount may be forfeited, which would act as a deterrent against speculative bookings, slot-blocking, and last-minute crowd surges. This is required to improve the predictability of inflow and reduce peak-hour pressure in the holy shrine, which is located in the heart of the Periyar Tiger Reserve," the Court said.It called for better regulation of accommodation and mandated the complete digitisation of room bookings to identify unauthorised occupants and to evict them.The Court also directed widening of key roads to improve road infrastructure for pilgrims visiting Sabarimala and stressed on creating emergency exit corridors at Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam.On sanitation and environmental concerns, the Court mandated deep cleaning operations, standardised waste management system and strict enforcement of the green protocol, including bans on plastic and synthetic materials.It also emphasised on the ecological sensitivity of the Periyar Tiger Reserve and directed that all planning must be in conformity with the environmental laws.To improve the pilgrims amenities provided during their trek to the temple, the Court suggested expansion of toilet facilities, drinking water kiosk, resting areas, medical services, and multilingual information system at key areas..Importantly, the Court laid down a strict timeline for implementation of the directions and suggestions and stated that all preparatory measures should be completed at least two months before the commencement of the pilgrimage season at Sabarimala..[Read Order]