Kolkata: For the first time this year, the district administration has used dredged material from six canals in the Sagar Islands for beach reclamation ahead of the Gangasagar Mela in January.
The move comes as the administration anticipates a higher influx of pilgrims this year, with the Kumbh Mela not scheduled.
“The canals require periodic dredging and, at the same time, beach reclamation has to be completed on a priority basis. We are already witnessing an early inflow of pilgrims ahead of the Mela. The dredged clay from the canals has been utilised for beach reclamation, and around 95 per cent of the work has already been completed. We are hopeful of finishing the remaining work by December 25,” a district administration official said.
An area has been earmarked beside the road leading to the sea from the Kapil Muni temple for ‘Banglar Mandir’ (Temples of Bengal). Temporary replicas of some of the state’s well-known temples, including the Jagannath temple in Digha, Tarapith temple, Dakshineswar Kali Temple and the Mahakal temple in north Bengal, are being created, the official added.
Infrastructure is being scaled up in anticipation of a record turnout. Arrangements for lodging, drinking water, toilets and waste management are being strengthened, while the number of sheds and hangars at the Mela site is being doubled.
To ease crowd movement, plans are afoot to set up an additional bus stand to ensure smoother boarding and deboarding of pilgrims. The entire Mela ground would be fully illuminated by December 31.
Dredging of the Muriganga River has already been completed, enabling round-the-clock movement of vessels and tourists to and from the Sagar Islands.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department has constructed a protective embankment along the road leading to the sea from the bus stand. This will allow the Gangasagar–Bakkhali Development Authority to carry out road repairs smoothly before the start of the Mela.
South 24-Parganas District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Mina, who is personally monitoring the preparations, has visited the site and issued instructions to ensure that all works are completed on a war footing.