Lost your phone or looking for a missing family member at Sabarimala? Kerala launches WhatsApp helpdesk

With thousands of devotees expected to make their way to Sabarimala for the upcoming Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, Kerala is turning to technology to make the pilgrimage safer, better organised and easier to navigate.

The state government has introduced a dedicated digital portal and WhatsApp chatbot that will let pilgrims access essential services, receive real-time updates, and report emergencies without visiting multiple government offices.

Revenue Minister AP Anilkumar inaugurated the Sabari portal and chatbot on Thursday.

Developed by the Pathanamthitta district administration, the platform aims to improve coordination among departments and give devotees a single point of access to pilgrimage-related information.

One key advantage is that pilgrims can use the portal without downloading a separate app.

It brings together information on darshan, accommodation, transport, healthcare, emergency assistance and facilities available at Pamba, Nilakkal and Sannidhanam.

Lost belongings and missing persons can be reported online

For pilgrims worried about a missing family member or misplaced belongings, the portal offers a dedicated complaint facility. Users can report missing persons and lost articles, including mobile phones, and upload photographs while filing their complaints.

Such reports will automatically reach the police control room. Complainants will subsequently receive updates on the action taken through WhatsApp.

The platform also offers location-based information on essential facilities, including drinking water points, toilets, medical centres, hospitals, police services, parking areas, rest facilities and ATMs. Google Maps integration will help devotees identify nearby amenities and navigate to them.

Darshan updates, transport and medical assistance

The digital initiative also aims to address one of the biggest concerns during the pilgrimage season: managing crowds and keeping devotees informed about waiting times.

Pilgrims will be able to check darshan waiting times, the number of devotees who have completed darshan, pooja timings, darshan schedules and water levels at the Pamba Triveni bathing ghat.

The platform also includes official announcements, safety alerts, pilgrimage guidelines, and trekking routes.

The platform integrates transport-related information with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). This includes details of long-distance bus services from Pamba, Nilakkal-Pamba chain services and special buses.

The portal will also provide train schedules for Chengannur, Thiruvalla, and Kottayam railway stations.

Devotees can also find the locations and contact numbers of government hospitals and medical colleges and contact hospitals directly through the portal.

Overcharging complaints, sanitation issues under watch

To protect pilgrims from overcharging, the portal includes a feature to monitor commodity prices at shops in Pamba, Nilakkal and Sannidhanam.

Official prices of essential commodities will be displayed in multiple languages. The 'Check My Bill' option will allow devotees to verify their purchases and lodge complaints if they are charged more than the prescribed rates or denied bills. The complaint can also include shop details.

The platform also allows complaints about sanitation, public toilets, KSRTC services, and the Travancore Devaswom Board. These will be forwarded to the respective control rooms and inspection squads, and complainants will receive updates through WhatsApp.

Emergency helpline numbers, including 112, 1077, 108, 100 and 101, will be available for direct access.

Officials to monitor sanitation workers and departmental performance

Beyond pilgrim-facing services, the portal will function as an administrative monitoring system for government departments involved in the pilgrimage arrangements.

Its dashboard will track staff deployment, attendance, duty allocation and performance reports. It will also monitor sanitation operations across 15 sectors at Sannidhanam in real time, covering around 300-400 sanitation workers.

The platform is expected to bring together information on weather conditions, temperature, reservoir water levels, wildlife attacks, vehicle accidents, KSRTC operations and inspections by price-control squads.

Minister calls for coordinated preparations

Meanwhile, chairing a review meeting at Pamba, Anilkumar directed all departments to work together to ensure devotees have a safe, hassle-free pilgrimage. He emphasised cleanliness, safety and the quality of services.

The minister called for special efforts to discourage devotees from leaving clothes in the Pamba River as part of religious practices. He stressed the need for awareness campaigns and a system to promptly collect and remove discarded clothes.

As electric vehicles become increasingly common, he also called for expanded charging infrastructure. At least two charging stations should be established during the pilgrimage season, particularly at Nilakkal.

The Travancore Devaswom Board was asked to strengthen multilingual announcements at Pamba and Sannidhanam to assist devotees arriving from outside Kerala.

Anilkumar further stressed that emergency assistance, drinking water, and other basic amenities must be available without inconveniencing pilgrims.

He said preparations for the next pilgrimage season should begin immediately after the conclusion of the ongoing one, following the Chief Minister's directive. He said this would allow authorities to improve facilities progressively based on their experience.

District Collector A Nizamudeen said the digital initiative would improve interdepartmental coordination and enable officials to make quicker decisions using real-time information.

The 41-day Mandalam pilgrimage season will commence on November 17, with the state stepping up its arrangements ahead of the annual influx of devotees.