Nabakalebar of Lord Jagannath in 2015
Odisha Government will spend Rs 1,000 crore on development of infrastructure and passenger amenities for the Nabakalebar of Lord Jagannath in 2015 at Puri.
A plan will be worked out for provision of drinking water, sanitation and release of drain keeping in view the requirement for 40-50 lakh people during the occasion.
The recent stampede at Allahabad station during the Kumbh Mela has set alarm bells ringing for the Odisha government, which is gearing up for the Nabakalebar festival (formation of new idols) at the Jagannath temple in Puri.
It was decided that all roads leading to Puri and within the town will be widened and developed. Besides, measures for provision of drinking water, release of drain water and expansion of grid stations for supply of electricity during the occasion will also be taken up.
A team of senior state government officers, including IAS officer Arvind Padhee (RDC and chief administrator of temple) and IPS officer Anup Kumar Sahoo (Puri SP) recently visited Allahabad to have first hand knowledge of arrangements made during the recently concluded Kumbh Mela, which witnessed a footfall of around 13 crore pilgrims over 55 days.
All hospitals on Puri-Bhubaneswar route and in Konark will be upgraded to meet the requirement of the devotees during the Nabakalebar. The Chief Minister directed the officials to take special measures for the amenities of tourists and pilgrims, including their stay during the occasion, in Puri. He asked the departments concerned to start work with all seriousness to complete the projects within time for smooth and peaceful conduct of Nabakalebar.
As railways play a key role in transport of passengers and devotees to Puri, it was decided that the doubling of Khurda Road-Puri railway line project would be completed by December next year. A release issued by the CMO said the Railways have assured to take steps to increase the crowd management limit to 1.5 lakh people.
A new bus stand will be constructed at Malatipatapur. Steps will be taken to strengthen passenger transport system to Puri and buffer parking places will come up on National Highway No.203. A treatment centre with 100 beds and six-bedded ICU will be constructed at the district hospital in Puri.
Around five to seven lakh people visit Puri during the annual Rath Yatra while around 10 lakh people had visited the beach town during the last edition of Nabakalebar in 1996. However, the government anticipates the size of the crowd may go up five times in 2015 because of better connectivity to Puri these days.
