After witnessing a less than expected footfall during the weekend, the inflow of pilgrims to Sabarimala witnessed a surge on Tuesday.
To ensure smooth movement of the crowd, the police regulated traffic along the roads to Pampa by blocking vehicles at different points. “From Tuesday morning to noon, vehicles were blocked for at least two hours. later in the evening, it was brought down by half hour,’’ said an official. As per estimates, about 65,000 pilgrims visited the hillock till 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the police are gearing up for increased deployment in anticipation of heavy rush during the Mandala puja on December 27. An additional batch of 500 policemen will be on duty during the period, taking the total deployment to 2,700 personnel.
