Preparations underway for Bala Sundari Fair

The renowned Shri Mahamaya Bala Sundari Ashwin Navratra Fair at Trilokpur would be held from March 19 to April 2. Priyanka Verma, Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner and Temple Trust Commissioner Trilokpur, chaired a meeting to review the preparations for the religious congregation.

She directed all departments concerned to make comprehensive arrangements for the smooth conduct of the fair. She said that the Temple Trust was committed to providing every possible facility to devotees during the Chaitra Navratra celebrations. Officials of the Public Works Department were instructed to complete timely repairs on the Kala Amb-Trilokpur main road and other connecting routes to the shrine.

For the organisation of the fair, the SDM, Nahan, had been appointed Chief Mela Officer and the Tehsildar, Nahan, as Mela Officer while the DSP, Nahan, would oversee law and order as Mela Police Officer. The mela area would be divided into four sectors, each supervised by a designated Duty Magistrate and a police officer to ensure effective monitoring and crowd management.

Security measures include the installation of CCTV cameras on the festival premises, deployment of adequate police personnel and the engagement of Home Guard jawans and private security staff on a temporary basis. Traffic arrangements would be planned to minimise inconvenience to the residents of Trilokpur.

A wrestling competition would be organised on April 1 (Chaudash) and the use of polythene had been strictly prohibited in the mela area. Detailed discussions at the meeting covered sanitation, traffic control from Kala Amb to Trilokpur, alternative routes, help desks, emergency and health services, food safety, clean drinking water, electrification and decoration of fairgrounds, transport and parking facilities and disaster management. Community feasts (bhandaras) would be allowed only at designated locations.