KSRTC struggles amid Sabarimala crowd surge; buses jammed with pilgrims

Sabarimala: More than 150 pilgrims were reportedly crammed into a single low-floor KSRTC bus on the Nilakkal–Pampa chain service route on Tuesday and early Wednesday, leaving passengers struggling to breathe and unable to move. A conductor admitted that the bus was filled far beyond its capacity as crowds surged.

The massive pilgrim turnout for Sabarimala darshan overwhelmed KSRTC’s transport arrangements, with heavy congestion continuing until Wednesday afternoon. The journey from Pampa to Chengannur took over four hours. Many pilgrims from neighbouring states were unable to catch their reserved train connections due to delays.

For the annual pilgrimage season, KSRTC had deployed 500 buses, including 140 non-AC buses, 30 AC low-floor buses for chain services, and 203 long-distance services operating between Pampa and Nilakkal. Additional buses were planned as crowd levels rose.

However, the unexpected rush of devotees arriving at Pampa led to breakdowns in crowd management. After waiting up to 20 hours for darshan, exhausted pilgrims boarded any bus that arrived, many travelling with small children.

KSRTC staff also struggled to manage the overwhelming crowd. Officials stated that buses are scheduled every 30 seconds on the Nilakkal–Pampa route, and that services are increased based on demand. They added that overcrowding occurs when pilgrims board en masse during peak hours.