Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan connected Saturday (September 20, 2025) launched a beardown onslaught connected “vested interests attempting to derail” improvement initiatives astatine Sabarimala.
Inaugurating the Global Ayyappa Sangamam astatine Pampa, organised arsenic portion of the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) platinum jubilee celebrations, the Chief Minister straight addressed questions raised astir the event.
“Times are changing, pilgrim numbers are rising and we indispensable deliberation and enactment accordingly. It is unfortunate that immoderate adjacent went to tribunal to artifact this. Was it genuinely retired of devotion to Lord Ayyappa, interest for wood conservation, oregon spiritual purity? Everyone knows that is not the case,” Mr. Vijayan said.
He recalled however the authorities had stepped successful to rescue temples that erstwhile faced neglect and adjacent ruin. “During the COVID-19 situation of 2019, adjacent the regular functioning of the Devaswom Board was successful distress. At that time, the authorities provided ₹140 crore successful fiscal assistance to the board, on with different ₹123 crore for renovation works. Yet these facts are often ignored,” helium noted.
Highlighting ongoing efforts, the Chief Minister said that since the motorboat of the Sabarimala Master Plan successful 2011–12, astir ₹148.5 crore had been spent connected improvement projects. “Approval for the layout program of Nilackal, the basal campy of Sabarimala, was fixed successful 2020. Earlier delays by the maestro plan’s high-powered committee had slowed money utilisation. But with persistent authorities intervention, momentum has since picked up. This January, the authorities approved layout plans for some the Sannidhanam and the trek routes astatine Pampa,” helium said.
Mr. Vijayan besides countered reports that the State was readying a number conclave instantly aft the Sangamam. “What is really being planned is Kerala’s improvement imaginativeness for 2031, the platinum jubilee of the State’s formation. To reappraisal past advancement and acceptable aboriginal directions, 33 seminars volition beryllium held successful October nether assorted departments, each led by the respective minister. All are of adjacent importance. Only 1 is nether the Minority Affairs department, yet immoderate take to azygous it retired to dispersed misinformation,” helium said.
The Chief Minister stressed that the Global Ayyappa Sangamam was “not a hasty decision” but the effect of years of deliberation. With pilgrim numbers rising steadily, helium underscored the request for improved facilities that safeguard some the situation and the sanctity of the shrine.
According to him, the Sabarimala Master Plan looks up to 2050, with a absorption connected the integrated improvement of Sannidhanam, Pampa, the accepted paths and Nilackal.
For Sannidhanam, the program earmarks ₹600.47 crore for the archetypal signifier (2022-27), ₹100.02 crore for the 2nd signifier (2028–33) and ₹77.68 crore for the 3rd signifier (2034–39). For Pampa, ₹207.48 crore is planned crossed 2 phases, portion trek way improvement is estimated astatine ₹47.97 crore. Altogether, the projected outgo for Sannidhanam, Pampa and the trek routes comes to ₹1,033.62 crore.
Between 2025 and 2030, an further ₹314.96 crore worthy of projects are envisioned to further heighten pilgrim facilities.
