GUWAHATI, June 20 - The State government and the Kamrup Metro district administration have chalked out an elaborate plan for successful holding of the Ambubachi Mela, especially to properly manage the congregation of an expected 20 lakh-plus people and to ensure hassle-free experience for all.
Addressing a press conference here today, Kamrup Metro Deputy Commissioner Dr M Angamuthu said that five camps have been set up to accommodate the devotees who will congregate in the city for the event.
�While last year there were three camps, this time provision has been made for five camps to accommodate the devotees. These are located at Kamakhya Railway Station, Old Pandu Railway Station, Sonaram Field, Nahorbari Camp and Bangshi Bagan Camp. Apart from these camps, temporary shelter is also constructed at Basistha,� he said. Additional district magistrates and executive magistrates, along with officials from various departments, have been designated in each camp for smooth functioning of the camp activities.
�The district administration has chalked out detailed plans for the smooth provision of all basic facilities like drinking water, shelter, toilets and baths at the designated devotee camps and also on the Kamakhya Temple premises. In consonance with this, bhandaras have been allocated specific locations within the camps for providing food as per instructed norms. Deviation from declared norms will automatically lead to cancellation of permission and the allocation of places for distribution of food items,� he said.
The district administration has allocated 19 bhandaras at different camps, including five at Sonaram Field, two at Pandu Railway Station, one at Kamakhya Railway Station, three at Nahorbari and two at Bangshi Bagan. Apart from the designated camps, bhandaras will also be providing food at some other places like Dwarpad Ganesh Mandir, Bhootnath, near Swagat Hospital and Kamakhya Garage.
�ASTC will provide 80 new Star Ultra buses to carry pilgrims up to Kamakhya Dham during Ambubachi Mela every day from June 21 to June 26 from different pilgrim camps,� said Dr Angamuthu. The buses will mostly ply between 6 am and 1 am.
He said that the APDCL has been instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the Mela days and officers have been deputed accordingly for round-the-clock duty.
�Guwahati Municipal Corporation has deputed engineers and supervisors for proper cleanliness and hygiene at the camps as well as the temple. A GMC control room has been set up at Nilachal Hill, which will operate 24x7,� he said.
With regard to health aspects, he said that a total of 12 food security officers and 12 chemists have been deployed. �Doctors and paramedics have been deputed in each camp for round-the-clock duty to attend to health issues of the devotees. The hublic health and engineering department has constructed toilets and bathrooms at all the camps for both male and female devotees,� he said.
Each camp will be manned by 210 volunteers and 300 volunteers will be deployed at the Kamakhya Temple and control rooms have been set up at all the camps, besides in the DC�s office. Dr Angamuthu said that a detailed security and traffic management plan has been prepared by the Commissioner of Police.
A vehicle pass management plan has also been put into service with different kinds of passes issued to officials, mediapersons, bhandaras, general public, residents of the Nilachal Hills and public transport vehicles.
The Nilachal Hill has been declared a tobacco-free and plastic-free zone during the Mela.
City Police Commissioner AK Jha said that 300 CCTV cameras have been installed on the Mela premises, including at the Kamakhya Temple and at all the camps. He said a good number of female security personnel will be deployed for duty during the Mela. Jha said besides surveillance of the Mela premises, there will also be focus on road patrolling, river patrolling and air surveillance.
