This year, there is no 'Mahakumbh' connection. The crowd at Prayag during Makar Sankranti will not be as large. Nabanna building believes that this time, a record number of pilgrims from other states will gather at the Gangasagar Mela.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant directed the district administration to be prepared in advance to handle this massive crowd and keep the fair orderly. At a high-level meeting at Nabanna on Thursday regarding the Gangasagar Mela, the Chief Secretary gave specific advice to the South 24 Parganas District Administration.
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The Chief Secretary announced that dredging work to increase the navigability of the Muriganga must be completed one month before the fair begins this year, so that pilgrims face no problems in transportation. Many people come to bathe in the sea early to avoid the Makar Sankranti crowds. Fog becomes a major problem at the fair every time, especially during river crossings.
To tackle this situation, the District Administration announced plans to install approximately 600 fog lights and laser lights in the fair ground and areas adjacent to Lot-8 ghat. Moving lights will also be installed.
At the meeting, secretaries from public health engineering, panchayat, transport, electricity and public works departments were present alongside the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas. The Chief Secretary announced that the fair preparation work must be completed with wartime urgency without wasting time.
