'Arrangements for Gangasagar Mela must be in place by Dec 31'
Kolkata: Taking a stock of the preparedness for Gangasagar Mela— scheduled to be held in January next year— Chief Secretary H.K Dwivedi on Tuesday instructed all the concerned departments to ensure that all arrangements were in place for the convenience of the pilgrims by December 31.
The state Irrigation department was asked to finish necessary dredging work of Muri Ganga river—a distributary of river Hooghly flowing through the Sagar division of South 24-Parganas—and Benubon- Chemaguri canal. About 85 per cent of the pilgrims visiting Gangasagar take the Muri Ganga river route from Kakdwip while another 15 per cent from Namkhana take the Benubon- Chemaguri route to reach the Sagar Islands.
The irrigation department is setting up 8 jetties at Lot 8, repairing some wooden bridges and also constructing some ramps to be used by pilgrims for bathing.
The instruction for mending of the roads and having proper arrangements for helipad at Sagar was also given in the meeting. District Magistrate Sumit Gupta made a comprehensive presentation of the nature of arrangements need to be put in place for smooth conduct of the Mela.
The Public Health Engineering department has been asked to have sufficient arrangements for potable drinking water while the state Power department was instructed to take suitable measures for ensuring no power shortage and keep back-up arrangements in place in case of any mishap.
Every year, the Power department takes up special lighting arrangements for Gangasagar and it will be no exception this year too.The Health department will also hold medical camps and provide ambulance facilities.
There will be arrangements for air ambulance for lifting of pilgrims and quick transportation to nearby hospital in case of any medical emergency.
The Transport department will run 280 bus services from Kolkata till Lot 8 and there will be 20 vessels for ferrying of pilgrims.