Orissa high court expresses safety concerns over private functions at Bali Yatra ground

Cuttack: Orissa high court has raised safety concerns over private functions being organised at Cuttack’s Bali Yatra ground, cautioning that large gatherings without proper safeguards could lead to tragic consequences.

The ground owes its name to the week-long maritime trade fair, Bali Yatra, that is organised jointly by the Cuttack district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) in Nov every year. It includes an upper ground spread over 8 acres in Kila Maidan and lower ground over 35 acres of reclaimed river bed of the Mahanadi near the Gadgadia Temple.


The concerns were expressed on Feb 5 while hearing the issue relating to the use of Bali Yatra ground for private functions round the year.

The bench of Justices K R Mohapatra and V Narasingh underlined the need for a regulatory framework and directed the district administration to act in coordination with law enforcement and civic bodies.

The bench cited the HC’s Dec 11, 2025, order which said, “Keeping in view the large number of people who congregate during such gatherings, it is necessary that the district administration, including police and fire authorities, and the CMC make a concerted effort to put in place an SOP regulating such functions.

During the hearing on Feb 5, DCP (Cuttack), Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, who appeared through virtual mode, submitted that a draft SOP has been submitted to the district administration for approval.

Nodal officer-cum-additional district magistrate Kamaljit Das, appearing through virtual mode, submitted that steps are being taken to approve the draft SOP submitted by the police commissionerate in consultation with CMC and other stakeholders.

Das assured that the concern expressed by the court shall be addressed in the SOP and that the nodal officer shall be appointed as a single point contact for getting all approvals. The court fixed March 12 to take stock of the progress of SOP approval.

Accordingly, the bench directed the authorities that until the SOP is finalised, “in the interregnum necessary measures be taken to ensure the safety and security of the people attaining such gathering specifically addressing the issues relating to the fire, traffic, crowd management and sanitation, etc”.