Odisha: Khandagiri Mela from Jan 28

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all set to organise the Khandagiri Mela in the capital city here after a gap of two years.

The fair will commence on January 28 near the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri and continue for 10 days. The civic authorities today held a preparatory meeting for smooth organisation of the fair. Mayor Sulochana Das presided over the preparatory meet.

The BMC will soon finalise a standard operating procedure (SOP) for Khandagiri Mela, said an official.

As per the decisions taken at the meeting, the BMC will charge 10 per cent more from stall owners and opera party owners at this year’s fair in comparison to the previous rate. Each vendor is required to obtain NOC from the concerned authorities, said the official.

“The civic authorities will issue a guideline for opera troupes, scheduled to stage their plays at the fair. The troupes must not hurt the emotion and dignity of any section of the people,” added the official

The visitors will not be allowed to park their vehicles on the roads. There will be designated parking places near the fair. The BMC will fix the parking fee and display the same at each of the parking lots, said the official.

Only five opera troupes will be allowed to stage their plays at the fair at a time due to space crunch. The organizers of the opera shows must install CCTVs at the venue to keep tab on anti-social elements, said sources in the BMC.

The food vendors will have to follow hygiene norms and display the expiry dates of food stuffs. The BMC will arrange lighting, toilet and other facilities at the fairground, they added.

Notably, Khandagiri Mela could not be organised in 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.