The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will deploy 461 buses during the 41-day Mandalam season and 561 buses during the Makaravilakku festival to facilitate travel for Sabarimala pilgrims. The Mandala Pooja season at the Lord Ayyappa temple begins on November 17, while the Makaravilakku festival is scheduled for January 14, 2027. The corporation said it would operate additional services according to passenger demand and arrange leased buses when required. Special services will connect depots and pilgrimage centres across Kerala, including Pampa, Nilakkal, Chengannur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Erumeli, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam, Kumily, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Adoor, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kayamkulam. KSRTC will deploy 678 employees during the Mandalam season and 778 during the Makaravilakku festival at Pampa and Nilakkal. The first phase will include 325 drivers and 225 conductors, while the second phase will have 375 drivers and 275 conductors. Employees have received fire and rescue training as well as medical training, and mechanical staff have undergone specialised instruction from vehicle manufacturers. The corporation’s Budget Tourism Cell is arranging chartered pilgrimage trips and online reservations. Special services to Pampa will also operate from temples near various depots and designated service centres according to demand. KSRTC will publish details of more than 70 selected temples where facilities are being arranged for pilgrims to rest and stay overnight. Facilities for bus parking, garages, staff accommodation and rest areas will be improved at Pampa and Nilakkal. Measures will address unauthorised parking, provide police assistance near the Nilakkal bus station, and add waiting sheds and passenger barricades at Thriveni. Coordination with the Pampa control room will be strengthened to manage crowds and allocate buses according to arrivals and return journeys. The corporation will also work with relevant departments to curb unauthorised parallel services and parking, while transport management committee meetings involving elected representatives will be held at Pampa, Chengannur and other centres.