Vishwa Hindu Parishad to arrange free transportation facilities to Sabarimala pilgrims instead to KSRTC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vishwa Hindu Parishad to provide free transportation facility to Sabarimala pilgrims. The move is amid allegation that KSRTC is charging additional fare from pilgrims through special service buses as the Sabarimala season has started.

The plan is to arrange 20 vehicles from Nilakkal to Pampa and vice-versa to pilgrims who face financial difficulty to pay normal fare. The state president of VHP Viji Thambi has submitted request to Pathanamthitta district collector Dr Divya S Iyer to give permission for this. VHP has said that if they get permission from the government, they will start free transport services using 20 vehicles.

Complaints were raised against hiking fares of KSRTC buses which used to run regular services to Pampa by turning them into special services. The board stating ‘special’ was placed on these buses. With this, Pathanamthitta - Pampa fast passenger fare was increased to Rs.143 from Rs 112. KSRTC has upgraded all services to Pampa as special until the end of the Sabarimala season.