Cuttack: The stage is set for the historic annual Bali Jatra near the Gadagadia Ghat on the river bank of Mahanadi. It will begin on Friday.
The stalls are ready and the lighting arrangements at the venue are on in full swing.
Talking to mediapersons at the Bali Jatra ground, Cuttack Collector Arvind Agrawal said 1300 stalls have been put up on 44 acres. Out of these, 350 stalls have been earmarked for the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS).
He said to draw more people to witness the festivity, free bus service has been provided from Chahata Chhak and Trishulia Chhak on the outskirts of the city. “Apart from this, a special chemical has been sprayed on the ground to make the venue dust-free,” he added.
The Collector further said that along with a series of cultural programmes, the city festival will also be held simultaneously at the venue this year.
Cuttack DCP Akhileswar Singh, said a number of exit and entry points at the venue have been made to ensure smooth movement of the crowd. “To maintain law and order during the festival, 32 platoons of police would be deployed at the venue while plain-clothed policemen would keep a watch on any anti-social activity. Apart from this, CCTV cameras have been put up at several locations at the venue,” he added.
