Seethathodu-Nilackal drinking water project commissioned ahead of Sabarimala season

With less than a month left for the annual pilgrimage season at Sabarimala to begin, the authorities have ensured a steady supply of drinking water for devotees thronging Nilackal, the main base camp of the hill shrine, with the commissioning of the Seethathodu-Nilackal Drinking Water Project.

Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine inaugurated the project on Monday at a function held at the Travancore Devaswom Board Nadapandhal.

Implemented at a cost of ₹84.38 crore, the project aims to provide round-the-clock access to safe drinking water for the lakhs of pilgrims visiting Nilackal every season. It will also cater to residents of Seethathodu, as well as the Laha and Plappally sections of Perunad grama panchayat.

The project’s major components include a 13-million-litre-capacity water treatment plant, three booster pump houses and three overhead storage tanks of 20 lakh litres at Nilackal. Water for the project is drawn from a well near the Seethathodu fire station and carried to Nilackal through a 22.5-km pipeline via Angamoozhy and Urumbini.

Funded jointly by NABARD and the Jal Jeevan Mission, the project marks a significant step toward resolving one of Nilackal’s long-standing challenges – acute water scarcity during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival season.

For years, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) have relied on tanker lorries arranged through private contractors to meet the soaring water demand at Nilackal, estimated at over 12 lakh litres per day during the peak season.

The new project is expected to provide a sustainable, cost-effective, and uninterrupted water supply to both pilgrims and residents, ensuring smoother management of the upcoming pilgrimage season.