Gaya: The district administration has intensified preparations for Pitripaksh Mahasangam, scheduled from Sept 25 to Oct 10, with a focus on cleanliness, security, traffic management and facilities for pilgrims.As part of its cleanliness and awareness drive, a sanitation and awareness rally will be taken out from the Vishnupad temple premises on Saturday. The district administration has declared the entire mela area a ‘no-plastic zone’ and prohibited the consumption of intoxicants during the mela. The rally will urge people to avoid plastic, dispose of waste at designated places and keep public spaces clean.District magistrate Shashank Shubhankar said, “With lakhs of pilgrims expected to visit Gaya, the district administration has divided the mela area into 43 zones and 314 sectors, where magistrates, police officers and security personnel will be deployed in three shifts. A temporary police station will be set up near Vishnupad temple, while 87 police camps will have ‘May I Help You’ counters to assist pilgrims.”“Arrangements for accommodating more than 63,000 pilgrims have been made at 674 locations, including govt pilgrim shelters, hotels, rest houses and private buildings belonging to pandas. A tent city is being set up at Gandhi Maidan with a capacity to accommodate 2,500 pilgrims. To provide affordable food, ‘Didi Ki Rasoi’ outlets will operate at five locations, offering meals for Rs 30,” said the DM.”Special arrangements have also been made for drinking water and sanitation, with 197 hand pumps and 53 standposts across the mela area. As many as 70 health camps will be operational, with 125 doctors and 178 paramedical personnel deployed to provide medical assistance to pilgrims. To facilitate the movement of pilgrims, 50 ring buses and 150 e-rickshaws will be operated during the mela, said the DM.He added, “To help reunite children with their families in case they get separated, QR-code-based wristbands will be provided to them. The QR code will be linked to their parents’ mobile phone numbers.”LED screens will be installed at prominent locations, including Gandhi Maidan, along with laser shows showcasing the history of Gaya and the significance of pind daan. The district administration is also working on arrangements for roads, electricity, street lighting, sanitation and other basic amenities ahead of the mela.
