kolkata: In Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has started readying the infrastructure at 7 permanent and 32 temporary ghats in the city that have been earmarked for performing Chhath Puja rituals on November 10 and 11, with the administration deciding to keep Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar out of bounds for the Puja.
Chandrima Bhattacharya, state Municipal Affairs minister who also happens to be the chairman of KMDA, chaired a meeting on Tuesday with representatives from Bihari Samaj, Kolkata Police, the concerned coordinators of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and senior KMDA officials for smooth observance of the festival in the city.Both, Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar are under the glare of the National Green Tribunal due to pollution issues. The seven permanent ghats are located in two places—six at two locations in Nonadanga near Fortis Hospital off Kasba-EM Bypass connector and another adjacent to Satyajit Roy Park in Patuli.
The temporary ghats have been developed in a manner to ensure that the revelers need not travel far from their respective homes for performing the rituals.
On the banks of all the 16 water bodies where 39 ghats will come up, bio toilets, police assistance booths, changing rooms for women and lighting arrangements will be made.
"As per proposal from the minister-in-charge, there will be medical assistance booths at all the 16 locations. Masks, sanitisers will be made available in these booths. Assistance will be taken from the KMC for having drinking water facilities in these places," a senior KMDA official said.
Wooden or ply platform will be set up at the temporary ghats and arrangements will be such that the revelers cannot go beyond chest deep water to ensure safety. The minister has also suggested to have women volunteers at all the locations.
There will be sufficient police deployment and all the gates leading to Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar will be closed. Barricades will be set up at the probable places.There will be two tableaus with miking facilities for spreading awareness about the ghats developed by KMDA.
"We will also have arrangements of transport facilities to take devotees to the nearest ghat, if they come at Rabindra Sarobar," the official said.