As the annual pilgrimage is progressing at the famed Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the apex temple body, has made arrangements for devotees to offer 'e-kanikka' at the electronic hundi collection in the temple complex and nearby areas. As in the previous years, the arrangements for the digital payment was made in association with the Dhanlaxmi Bank, who are the official bankers of the TDB this year as well.

Devotees can make the payment through Google Pay and the QR code for this has been displayed at several places including the Sannidhanam, the temple complex and Nilakkal on the foothills. "As many as 22 QR codes have been put on display in various points. Devotees can also remit the kanikka amount through the dedicated Google Pay number," TDB executive officer V Krishnakumar Warrier said.

Steps would be taken to display more QR codes at various places along the Sabarimala pilgrimage route, the TDB said. 

Meanwhile, a new batch of police personnel took charge at the temple complex to ensure the safety and security of devotees and the management of crowds at the Sannidhanam.

A total of 265 officers are deployed for crowd management alone at the hill shrine complex, besides another batch of 300 personnel which comprises intelligence officers, commandos, bomb squad experts, quick response team members and the rapid response and disaster management teams from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a TDB statement added.