A maximum of 2,000 devotees will be allowed darshan during weekdays and 3,000 on Saturdays and Sundays during the remaining Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season of the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
The increase in the number of the pilgrims from 1,000 daily and 2,000 on weekends was decided by the government on Tuesday based on the recommendations made by a high-level committee chaired by Chief Secretary Viswas Mehta on November 26.
However, the government has not increased the number of pilgrims being allowed to the hill shrine on the days of Mandala Puja and Makaravilakku and it will be 5,000 as announced earlier.
The daily increase will come into effect immediately as the booking for virtual queue for the additional pilgrims will commence on Wednesday itself, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N. Vasu said.
The TDB was of the view that more pilgrims should be allowed adhering to social distancing norms as the hill shrine is open daily for 14 hours for worship. Compared to the 50,000 to one lakh daily turnout earlier at the Sannidhanam, only 1,000 devotees are being allowed now on weekdays and 2,000 on weekends since the pilgrimage season began on November 16.
