Final Preparations Underway for Lord Jagannatha’s Ghosa Yatra at Nilagiri
Balasore, June 3:(Krushna Kumar Mohanty) In anticipation of the upcoming Ghosa Yatra of Lord Jagannatha, a final coordination meeting was held recently at the Nilagiri Block Conference Hall under the chairmanship of Balasore District Collector Shri Suryabanshi Mayur Vikas. The meeting marked the culmination of months of planning and saw the participation of senior officials, elected representatives, and various stakeholders committed to ensuring the smooth conduct of the revered annual festival.
Present at the meeting were Nilagiri Sub-Collector Smt. Subhashree Ratha, Balasore MP Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Nilagiri MLA Shri Santosh Khatua, Superintendent of Police Shri Raj Prasad, Block Chairperson Smt. Shubhalakshmi Majhi, and NAC Executive Officer Shri Mahendra Nath Behera. Also in attendance were representatives from the police administration, legal and intellectual communities, social organizations, servitor groups, and the media.
After welcoming the attendees and conveying best wishes for the successful conduct of the Yatra, Collector Mayur Vikas reviewed the progress of preparations in line with discussions from previous meetings. Among the key updates was the confirmation from Executive Officer Smt. Sonam Das that all required timber for the construction of the chariot has been procured and is ready for use.
Detailed discussions were held on the finalization of names of persons authorized to accompany the Lord on the chariot, the procedure for delivering devotional sermons during the procession, issuance of eligibility certificates for the chariot, and crowd management strategies. Emphasis was laid on strict adherence to law and order, regulation of vehicular movement, deployment of plain-clothes police personnel, and installation of CCTV cameras at key points along the procession route.
In a significant directive, the Collector instructed that water tanks be placed at intervals of 100 meters on the Grand Road to ensure uninterrupted access to drinking water for devotees. Arrangements for continuous water and electricity supply, temporary information and medical aid centers equipped with ORS sachets and ambulance services, were also outlined as essential components of the festival's logistics.
The Collector further directed that all liquor shops remain closed during the Yatra. The police were asked to crack down on illegal sale and smuggling of liquor with immediate effect. Departments like PWD, Electricity, and NAC were assigned the responsibility of addressing infrastructural lapses along the route without delay.
As part of the festivities, a sub-divisional level exhibition will be organized involving various government departments, with decisions taken under the leadership of the Sub-Collector. In addition, evening cultural programs will be held to entertain devotees, coordinated by the District Culture Office.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Sub-Collector Smt. Subhashree Ratha, who acknowledged the collective efforts of all officials, community members, and volunteers in preparing for the sacred event.
