SABARIMALA: Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair has said that for the convenience of lakhs of Sabarimala pilgrims during the forthcoming Mandalam-Makaravilaku season, Lord Ayyappa temple will be kept open for more time for darsan. Talking to newsmen at Sannidhanam Devaswom Guest House on Tuesday, Rajagopalan Nair said that the temple would be opened at 3 a m instead of 4 a m during the last pilgrimage season and would remain open till 1 p m. In the afternoon, the temple would be reopened at 2.30 p m and the Sreekovil wouldbe closed at 11.45 p m. Nair said that before taking the decision on extending the temple darsan time, Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu had given his consent.Rajagopalan Nair said that the TDB could be able to take effective steps to reduce exploitation of pilgrims by not auctioning the shops selling plastic toys, steel containers, hotels at Sannidhanam and Nadapandal. Barring shops selling soft drinks and fruits and one hotel on the trekking path between Pampa and Nadapandal, the TDB had not given licence to any other business establishments, he said.Rajagopalan Nair said that the TDB would allow those voluntary organisations, like the ones which operated during the last season, to function under a few conditions, including contributions to the Devaswom Welfare Fund meant for paying relief to the pilgrims in case of casualties and removal of waste by their uniformed staff members.
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