Astisans busy making crowns of Goddess Durga idols at Kumbhar Sahi in Cuttack on Friday | EXPRESS
CUTTACK: With Dussehra less than a fortnight away, preparations for the celebration of Durga Puja in the Millennium City are on in full swing. Members of various puja committees are working overtime to finish work on pandals in time. This year, 160 puja pandals will come up in the city.
While Goddess Durga, the slayer of demon king Mahisasura, is being worshipped at 85 pandals, clay idols of other deities including that of Lord Hara and Devi Parbati have been consecrated at the remaining pandals.
While artisans are on their toes to make attractive idols for the altars, tent-house workers have been busy to give shape to massive theme-based welcome arches and light gates on the streets, lanes and by-lanes of the pandals.
This year, Durga Puja celebrations will begin with Sasthi Puja on October 15 while immersion of the deities has been scheduled on October 20.
Meanwhile, the district administration has asked officials concerned to put in place adequate measures for smooth conduct of the festival.
Collector Aravind Agarwal has directed for repair of roads and defunct streetlights besides clearing obstructed roads, choked drains and addressing other civic issues by October 10. A 15-member squad has also been constituted to inspect the works.
The administration has asked puja committees to strictly follow the plastic ban during the festival.
The committees have also been advised not to use chemical colours in idol making.
Besides, officials of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) have been instructed to maintain sanitation during the festival and dig up temporary pond at Devi Gada on Kathajodi river banks for immersion of idols.
On Wednesday, the district administration held a meeting with office-bearers of all the 160 puja committees and officials of line departments and CMC to discuss the arrangements for smooth conduct of the festival.
