GUWAHATI, June 12 - The Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) will spend around Rs 1.36 crore in the upcoming Ambubachi Mela which will be held at Kamakhya Temple here from June 22 to June 26.
Jayanta Malla Baruah, chairman of the ATDC, today announced that as part of the various events, Bollywood star Kailash Kher will perform Devi Vandana on June 21 during the inauguration ceremony of the Ambubachi Mela.
Meanwhile, Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will grace the inauguration programme which will start from 4 pm at Sonaram Higher Secondary School playground.
The ATDC and State tourism department are responsible for publicity of the event by erecting hoarding, banners etc., along with decoration of Kamakhya temple premises and approaching roads with ornamental lights.
They also prepare the list of invitees, arrangement of mementos, preparation of cultural event, publication of information booklets along with setting up of help desk at railway stations, airport and other necessary places.
�During the evening hours of Mela days, Sadbhi Aditi Bharati and Dibyajyoti Sangstha will perform Devi Bhagawat Path at Sonaram HS School field,� Baruah said. As an attempt to promote the Mela, the ATDC has targeted people of some selected States and cities of the country.
�As per previous records, most of the devotees come from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. So we have already started promotional activities in those States through radio jingle, advertisement in regional TV channel etc. Promotional hoarding were also installed at Kolkata and New Delhi airport. We have also requested the Railway Ministry to run two special trains from Banaras and Kolkata to Guwahati during the Mela days,� the ATDC chairman said.
This time, the ATDC is expecting an increase in footfall of devotees by 20 per cent in comparison to the past year. In 2018, more than 20 lakh devotees visited the Mela, where this time the number may cross 25 lakh, Baruah asserted.
To control the huge gathering and to avoid any kind of accident, this time plying of all vehicles will be strictly restricted during the Mela days.
�We will arrange vehicle only for differently-abled, senior citizen and children. However, we want to urge all section of people to use all four approaching roads to reach the temple. We will not even allow any VIP vehicle on the road from the foothill to the temple premises. For the convenience of devotees, we have developed all four roads approaching the temple,� he said.
