Kerala HC directs KWA, Devaswom committee and other agencies to prepare for Sabarimala pilgrimage season

The Kerala High Court has directed the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), Chief Engineer Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), Executive Engineer Sabarimala Development Project (SDP) and other concerned state authorities to prepare for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

Divisional Judge V Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar considered two reports of Special Commissioner Sabarimala R Jayakrishnan. The reports were about waste management in Erumely during the ‘maasa puja’ and festival season and the repair of KWA’s main booster stations at Neelimala and Appachimedu.

The court was informed that the total cost of the temporary enforcement measures would be ₹10 crore. Accordingly, he directed the KWA to carry out repairs to booster stations as per the condition assessment report prepared by the Kerala Highway Research Institute by November 10.

It further asked the SDP Executive Engineer to monitor the progress of the work and conduct regular checks with the structural engineer. KWA has submitted a report detailing the proposed renovation of fuel stations at Neelimala Upper and Lower and Appachimedu. The total cost was estimated at ₹3.21 million. It was also stated that the repair was critical and time-consuming, especially with the pilgrimage season approaching.

Earlier, the Bench directed the Irrigation and Management Department, Suchitwa Mission, the local authority and the TDB to formulate a comprehensive mechanism for collection, segregation, transportation and effective disposal of waste generated in and around Erumeli, especially during Masa Pooja and festival season.

In this regard, the court was informed that the areas around Valiya Thodu and Thadayan have been cleared. The state has earmarked ₹15 crore for tarring and maintenance of the Chalakkayam-Pamba section. The court was also informed about high-level meetings convened under the chairmanship of the Minister for Devaswom and the Chief Minister to review the preparatory activities undertaken by various government departments and the TDB for the 2026-27 Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Subsequently, the Chief Minister ordered that all preparatory work related to the pilgrimage be completed by October 31.

The court directed the TDB chief engineer to personally file a detailed statement detailing the measures taken, completion dates, status of paperwork and steps taken to ensure quality of work.

Published – 9 Oct 2026 09:51 IST