Overview
- Under the court’s interim directions, daily entry is limited to 75,000 with Virtual-Q slots fixed at 70,000 and spot bookings restricted to 5,000 until November 24.
- The Travancore Devaswom Board moved to comply by limiting spot booking counters to Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar and suspending centres at Pamba, Erumeli and Chengannur.
- The bench cited unsafe crowd density and mandated a multidisciplinary expert committee, GIS-based amenity audits and density-based safety thresholds, with follow-up reporting on November 24.
- Authorities bolstered operations with additional police, Indian Reserve Battalion support and NDRF teams, and were directed to ensure water, sanitation and other basic services along key routes.
- The clampdown follows an early-season surge of nearly two lakh pilgrims in 48 hours, a reported death in the queue and a separate bus overturning that left three injured, drawing sharp political criticism of preparedness.