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Comprehensive plan to host Ambubachi Mela

By STAFF Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 15 � The State government has drawn up a comprehensive plan for successfully hosting the upcoming Ambubachi Mela at the Kamakhya Temple here, including steps to facilitate easy access to the famed place for worship by devotees and to prevent any untoward incident.

Kamrup Metro DC Ashutosh Agnihotri said today that special camps for the pilgrims and devotees would be set up at three places � the Kamakhya railway station, the Pandu railway station and at the Sonaram Field.

�The Tourism department is the nodal agency for the Ambubachi Mela. It, along with the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), the Kamrup Metro district administration, and other agencies are coordinating all the arrangements,� he said.

He said the three camps will together cover a space of more than one lakh square feet area and will be able to accommodate 15,000-20,000 pilgrims. All the camps will have adequate provision of water, sanitation facilities and electricity.

�Security arrangements will be put in place to ensure that miscreants are not able to take advantage of the huge gathering to create any untoward incident. CCTVs will be installed in the temple and also at the camps,� Agnihotri said.

The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will provide buses to ferry the pilgrims free of charge to the temple and the transportation arrangement will be coordinated with the ATDC. A total of 50 buses are to be allocated.

�We cannot allow thronging of vehicles or people. Only empanelled vehicles will be allowed,� the DC said.

Asked what kind of footfalls is expected at the festival this year, he said, �If we look at last year�s estimates, maybe the numbers will be around two to three lakh during the entire period of the Mela,� Agnihotri said.

Speaking about the security arrangements, Guwahati City SSP A K Tiwari said that the police has undertaken a situation assessment for the festival, which will take place between June 22 and June 26.

�A unified control room will be set up. As per requirement, armed and unarmed personnel will be put on duty,� he said.

The city police will also rope in NCC cadets and volunteers from the Nagarik Sabhas and other social organizations for crowd management and to assist the pilgrims.

�Help desk would be set for devotees at certain points including at the three camps and at the foothills of the Kamakhya Temple and at the main temple. Help desk and a control room would also be set up at the Kamakhya Railway Station,� Tiwari said, adding that coordination is also on with the railway authorities.

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