Devotees endure queues exceeding 14 hours to receive Ayyappa darshans. Their complaint centers on inadequate facilities in the queue complex, fueling a silent struggle between the police and the Devaswom Board for crowd control at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The police grapple with the challenge of managing the overwhelming number of devotees, and a viable solution remains elusive. Previously, pilgrims resorted to breaking fences and taking forest shortcuts, rendering the queuing system ineffective as the police struggled to manage the long lines for Lord Ayyappa’s darshan. However, dynamic queuing system, now fully operational at the Marakoottam queue complex, has significantly aided in regulating the influx of devotees.

Authorities insist on terminating spot bookings and imposing control over pilgrims. Despite the announcement of extending the virtual queue limit to 80,000 during the ongoing disagreement, the measure has yet to be implemented.