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Towards safe and secure Baliyatra

CUTTACK: In a bid to make the famous ‘Baliyatra’ festival of the city safer, the Cuttack district administration has thought of taking certain innovative measures to protect all stakeholders who visit the festival grounds.

For the first time in the history of the festival here, the two Fair grounds here would be insured against any form of calamity. “Earlier, only the makeshift stalls were insured. But this time, we have decided to insure the entire venue keeping the natural calamities in view”, said district Collector K.K. Mohanty.

As a tribute to ancient maritime glory of the State, the festival is organised here at the Killa Maidan and the adjacent riverbed near the majestic Barabati Fort. Traditionally beginning on the last day of the holy month of Kartika, the festival this year would begin on November 13 and continue up to November 20. Unofficially, the festival extends for another week or so as some traders stay put at the grounds until their stocks exhaust.

Since security of the revellers has become the prime concern of the administration, it has been decided to cover the entire Fair ground with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to keep a tab of the developments. On an average, at least three lakh people throng the venue everyday throughout the week-long festival.

At a preparatory meeting held here under the supervision of the district Collector, it was decided that at least 1,000 stalls would be allowed to trade during the festival on both grounds. “All the stalls would adhere to proper fire safety measures as per the norms and the violators would be prosecuted”, said the local tehsildar.

Since stampede in such fares elsewhere are taking a heavy toll on the visitors, the administration is also planning for an elaborate arrangement to see that the approach roads to both the sites of the fare are less congested.

The unauthorised shops along the approach roads on the Ring Road would be removed and one-way traffic in the vicinity will be introduced. A new approach road to the fare would be opened on the eastern side of the venue to avoid traffic jam at the main entrance of the fare ground.

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