BHUBANESWAR: Durga Puja will be celebrated in a grand manner in the state capital, with around 195 pandals expected to be set up this year, up from around 190 last year, said officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
BMC mayor Sulochana Das, who chaired a preparatory meeting ahead of the festival on Thursday, said the civic body was focusing on eight key areas, including crowd management, cleanliness, traffic regulation, safety, essential services and food safety, in view of the celebrations across 195 pandals. She called for coordinated efforts by stakeholders, including puja committees and government agencies, to ensure hassle-free celebrations and prevent inconvenience to residents and visitors.
Officials were directed to complete the repair and maintenance of major roads within the next seven days. No new road-cutting or excavation work will be permitted until the end of the festivities, and only essential repair work will be undertaken, Das said.
The Mayor also directed officials to remove construction debris lying along roads. The civic authorities will keep a close watch on Janpath and other major roads in the capital, particularly medians and road openings, to prevent traffic disruptions.
Parking arrangements have also been made, with instructions issued to remove illegal parking along major stretches, BMC officials said.
During the meeting, puja organisers raised concerns over the poor condition of roads and inadequate street lighting. The condition of the Bomikhal road, the stretch from Tarini Temple towards Damana and the Jharpada-Kesura road came up for discussion, following which officials were asked to take prompt corrective measures.
They were also directed to restore the non-functional high-mast light at Saheed Nagar and ensure adequate illumination along major puja routes. The Bomikhal stretch will be levelled, and dust-control measures will be undertaken.
Police officials informed the meeting that the 195 puja pandals had been divided into different categories and that a single-window system was already operational to facilitate coordination and grant permissions. Special security arrangements will be made at pandals featuring silver and gold medhas, while seven control rooms will operate across the city.
Around 300 police officers and 40 platoons of force are expected to be deployed during the festivities. CCTV cameras will be installed at all pandals.
The meeting also reviewed fire safety arrangements, with officials informing that three fire-safety units were planned for different zones.
