Sabarimala:
The railway ticket counter at Pampa has put hundreds of pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Karanataka and Tamil Nadu in dire straits by denying reservation facilities. Reason - they do not have copies of identity cards.
The pilgrims who came to the railway ticket counter, set up about a decade ago, by providing premises by the Travancore Devaswom Board at Pampa Anjeneya Auditorium, were refused reservation tickets.
Though the pilgrims showed their voter identity cards at the counter, the counter staff member insisted on photcopies along with the application for issuing the reservation tickets.
This becomes a problem for the ticket-seekers as there are no photocopy shops in Pampa or neighbouring Sannidhanam.
The new rule caught people unaware and evoked widespread resentment. Sabarimala pilgrims contributed Rs 200 crore to the Railways through the ticket sales during the two months last year.