Ranchi, July 3: Jharkhand Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting to oversee preparations for the upcoming Shravani Mela, set to begin on July 11. With over five million pilgrims expected to visit Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar and Baba Basukinath Dham in Dumka during the holy month, officials are prioritising crowd management, safety, and essential services.
The state government is coordinating efforts across multiple departments to ensure a smooth conduct of the annual religious event, which will conclude on August 9.
In the meeting attended by senior officers, including deputy commissioners and superintendents of police from Deoghar and Dumka, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for “robust crowd management” and stressed accountability at all levels. She directed that crowd flow be regulated to prevent congregation at key points and ordered the deployment of trained personnel at critical locations, with a strict protocol for handover between shifts.
Tiwari highlighted the use of AI-enabled CCTV cameras and drone surveillance for real-time monitoring and instructed that any signs of crowd surge must trigger immediate decongestion measures. She ordered that walking paths be kept level and free of obstacles, stairways be non-slippery, and separate routes be maintained for incoming and outgoing devotees.
Power infrastructure was also reviewed, with directions to prevent outages and ensure there are no exposed wires. Entry points must be equipped with metal detectors, but managed carefully to avoid bottlenecks.
Tiwari noted that Sundays and Mondays typically witness higher footfall, and urged district administrations to take direct charge during peak hours, especially when temple doors open, which tends to increase crowd pressure.
Senior officials from state headquarters have been asked to conduct on-ground inspections, particularly those from emergency and health-related departments. Clean drinking water, clean toilets, and properly maintained tent accommodations are to be ensured across the mela premises.
The Chief Secretary also called for improved communication tools, including hoardings, directional signages, and QR codes for feedback and complaints. Additional measures such as fire safety, ambulance deployment, medical posts, and adequate lighting were discussed.
Key infrastructure, including the Kanwaria path and road conditions in and around Baba Dham and Basukinath, are under review. Departments were asked to fix any deficiencies ahead of the event.
