CUTTACK: Preparations of the district administration to host the week-long annual historic Baliyatra, which is scheduled to commence from November 14, are in full swing.
Both Killa Maidan measuring an area of about 14 acre in front of Barabati Fort and Tala Padia covering an area of about 23 acre are being decked up for the festival. Over 1,400 stalls are expected to come up this year at both the venues. Last year, around 1,200 stalls were set up at Upara Padia and Tala Padia.
Till Thursday, the district administration has allotted 835 stalls and collected a revenue of `68.10 lakh.
‘’There are many traders who are still waiting for allotment of plots for setting up stalls in Baliyatra ground. The administration has taken their applications into consideration and steps are being taken for allotments of plots,” said Cuttack Sadar Tehsildar Sanjiveeta Ray.
Besides, effort is on to allot stalls to 35 miscellaneous traders and small businessmen who were allowed to participate in the fair last year on adjustment basis, she said.
On Thursday, a joint inspection was conducted at the two venues by the district administration, Commissionerate Police and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to take precautionary measures to ensure an incident-free Baliyatra.
Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said, “Instructions have been issued to widen the entry and exit paths of the fair ground. A separate pavilion is being set up to rehabilitate vendors who will be deprived of plots for setting up stalls. Besides, three vending zones are coming up for settlement of hawkers and make-shift shopkeepers, he said.
This year, nine cycle stands have been auctioned. For the first time, coding system has been introduced for cycle stands. Cycle stand owners have been provided with numeric codes and asked to print receipts of different colours for convenience of visitors, Mishra added.