Odisha aims to complete road, rail projects for Nabakalebar by Jan 15

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Dec 19:

Odisha Chief Secretary G C Pati today instructed all concerned departments to complete the construction work and projects for the upcoming Nabakalebar festival by January 15.

Presiding over a high-level meeting at the state secretariat here today, the chief secretary laid emphasis on completion of road and rail projects including upgradation of power infrastructure, better parking facilities, sanitation, accommodation of tourists, healthcare facilities, transport and security.

“Identify illegal construction or any unsafe building around the Lord Jagannath temple and take necessary steps in accordance with law,” Pati told officials here.

Anticipating huge tourist inflow, the chief secretary asked the officials to make necessary arrangements for accommodation of tourists in hotels, lodges and other places. Extra beds will be placed in hotels to meet the demands. In addition to this, he instructed officials to build two categories of make-shift rest centres at unused spaces in hotels: free and low-cost or affordable accommodation. Tourisim Secretary Arabind Padhy was entrusted with the task of convening a meeting with the hoteliers to execute the plan.

As per an estimate, at least two lakh tourists are expected to descend on the pilgrim town during the Nabakalebara festival in Puri.

During the high-level meeting, the progress of roads connecting Biramitrapur-Jankia, Gop-Balighai, Phulnakhara-Charichhak-Gop, Malatipatapur-Balikhand, Puri-Konark and Puri-Satapada were reviewed. Similarly, the officials also discussed the progress of repair and expansion of city roads and the roads connecting the holy town.

For better healthcare facilities, the officials were directed to upgrade the periphery hospitals. They were directed to identify and train heal workers, NSS and NCC cadets to aid the health facility during the festival.A six-beded Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been made operational atthe district headquarters hospital in Puri, the meetign revealed.

Development Commissioner U N Behera, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department R Balakrishnan, Principal Secretary of Home Department C J Venugopal, Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal, DGP Sanjiv Marik and other senior officials were present in the meeting.