Soren reviews preparations for 'Shravani Mela', lays stress on enhanced security, better amenities

Ranchi, May 23 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday took stock of preparations for the month-long ‘Shravani Mela’ at the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, where around 50 lakh devotees are likely to participate in the fair.

Thousands of pilgrims embark on a 105-km journey from Sultanganj in Bihar to the Baidyanath Temple for offering holy water of the Ganga River to one of the 12 ‘jyotirlingams’ in Deoghar during the holy month.

Underscoring the spiritual and cultural importance of the ‘Shravani Mela’, Soren, while chairing a high-level meeting here, called for a collective effort to make this year’s event starting from July 11 more organised, inclusive and grander in scale.

He emphasised the need for robust infrastructure related to sanitation, drinking water, electricity, rest areas, transport, healthcare and crowd control.

Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari has been tasked with monitoring progress of all aspects of the religious fair.

Special emphasis was laid on utilising vacant land along the pilgrimage route for temporary rest zones, toilets and other amenities. The CM also directed officials to make separate arrangements for women and children.

In view of the massive crowds expected at Baba Baidyanath Dham and Basukinath Dham, Soren called for enhanced deployment of security personnel, regulation of traffic movement, and installation of high-definition surveillance systems.

A QR-based complaint system will also be introduced to enable devotees to report issues in real time, ensuring quick redressal, officials said.

Terming the ‘Shravani Mela’ as a cornerstone of Jharkhand’s identity and faith, Soren said the state is committed to delivering a safe, smooth and spiritually enriching experience for every pilgrim.

“All necessary resources will be made available to elevate this world-renowned event,” he asserted. PTI NAM RBT