The week-long historic Baliyatra festival is scheduled to begin from November 25 and the district administration is getting two grounds ready in the city to host the spectacle.
Killa Maidan in front of the legendary Barabati Fort and the adjoining sprawling Mahanadi riverbed covering an area of 40 acres is now being decked up for the festival. Official sources said nearly 1500 makeshift stalls would come up at both the venues and would be adequately insured.
On an average, nearly four lakh people throng the fairgrounds everyday relishing mouth-watering food, purchasing a range of household articles and enjoying the joyrides. While the festival witnesses heavy rush throughout the day, it is the evenings that register maximum footfalls.
The district cultural society too has made elaborate arrangements to organise cultural programmes every evening at the Baishanb Pani mandap, located at the fair ground on the riverbed. At least two dozen troupes from the State and outside would perform during the festival, sources said.
While the district administration expects an income of about Rs 63.56 lakh from this year’s festival from ground rent, auction from parking stands and from other sources, the administration is likely to spend Rs 64 lakh towards power and water charges and other expenses.
Similarly, the city police too are also gearing up to ensure an incident-free festival. The fairgrounds would be monitored with close-circuit cameras and there would be heavy deployment of police to maintain law and order.
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