Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala state government has decided to allow more pilgrims to visit Sabarimala, Minister Kadakampally Surendran said.

Henceforth, 2,000 people will be allowed to have ‘darshan’ each day on the first five days of the week, against 1,000 earlier, and 3,000 people each will be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, up from 2,000 earlier. Pilgrims holding COVID-19 negative certificates will be allowed to trek the hills from Pampa, the base camp, after making use of a virtual queue system available on the website www.sabarimalaonline.org.

Pilgrims arriving at Nilakkal will be required to produce a COVID-negative certificate obtained not earlier than 24 hours before their arrival.

Pilgrims can get themselves examined at any of the authorised COVID-19 kiosks set up at Nilakkal and en route Sabarimala.

The temple was opened for devotees on November 16 for the the 62-day annual pilgrimage season.

The auspicious Mandala pooja would be held on December 26. After the Makaravilakku ritual on January 14, the temple would be closed on January 20, marking the end of the season.