A high-level coordination meeting was held at the Circuit House under the chairmanship of Khordha District Collector Amrit Ruturaj to review preparations for the upcoming Maha Shivaratri (Jagar) festival at the famous Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.
The meeting was attended by Bhubaneswar–Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, temple servitors, temple administration officials, representatives of voluntary organizations, and senior government officers.
Temple Ritual Timings Finalized
At the outset, Additional District Magistrate (Bhubaneswar) Ramesh Chandra Jena welcomed the participants and presented the draft action plan.
It was decided that on February 15, the day of Jagar, the temple will open at 3:00 AM for the performance of essential rituals. Servitors have been requested to ensure that all temple rites are conducted strictly according to the scheduled timings.
Arrangements Inside and Around the Temple
For the convenience of devotees inside the temple premises, barricading and beautification work will be undertaken by the Archaeological Department.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been assigned several responsibilities around the temple area, including:
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Illumination of surrounding areas
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Cleaning of Mouni Ghat
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Setting up first-aid centres
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Deployment of ambulances
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Installation of signage boards
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Construction of temporary toilets
Facilities for Devotees and Crowd Management
Discussions were also held on providing essential facilities for the large number of devotees expected during the festival. These include:
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Construction of temporary sheds for devotees
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Ensuring electricity connections
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Supplying drinking water
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Police deployment for law and order
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Traffic management and crowd control
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Fire safety arrangements
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Establishment of information centres
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Health and sanitation services
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Setting up emergency medical centres
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Deployment of Red Cross teams and other volunteers
Appeal for Peaceful and Grand Celebration
Both the MLA and the Mayor appealed for collective cooperation to ensure that this year’s Jagar Yatra is celebrated in a grand yet peaceful and orderly manner. They emphasized the need to provide all necessary facilities for devotees.
Collector Issues Directions to Officials
District Collector Amrit Ruturaj instructed all concerned departments to carry out their assigned responsibilities efficiently and in coordination to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.
Among others present at the meeting were Bhubaneswar Sub-Collector Dr. Manoranjan Sahu, departmental officials, and representatives from various agencies.