The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will facilitate smooth pilgrim movement across the Pampa river before the next monthly puja period beginning September 15, board president A. Padmakumar has said.
The recent floods damaged both the bridges across the Pampa, blocking the pilgrim passage to Sabarimala from the foothills, since August 15.
Bridge covered in sand
The bridge at Pampa-Triveni has been covered with not less than 10-ft-thick sand deposited by the floodwaters and its abutments have been damaged by strong water currents. Giant trees on the riverbanks were uprooted in a landslip and they fell over the foot overbridge across the Pampa, badly damaging it.
The Forest Department is yet to cut and remove these trees despite repeated requests from Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, sources said.
Mr. Padmakumar said a representative of the Army was supposed to reach Pampa on August 28 to finalise the proposal for constructing two Bailey bridges across the Pampa. However, the State government had not yet received any information from the Centre in this regard, he said.
He said the Army would be constructing the bridges, one for pedestrians and the other for vehicles on emergency duty, before this year’s annual pilgrimage season.