500 CCTV cameras, 12 drones, 100 watch towers to keep eye on ghats

Patna: Over 500 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, 100 watch towers and 12 drones will keep a close eye on about 100 Ganga ghats in Patna district and their approach roads during Chhath.Expecting a huge rush of devotees on the occasion of Chhath, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for lights, barricading, drinking water and toilets, however, law and order and crowd management are its top priorities.Patna district magistrate (DM) Chandrashekhar Singh said on Wednesday that the largest congregation of devotees was expected at the Ganga river banks from Danapur to Patna City, even as there were over 450 Chhath ghats in the district. “That is why, 12 drones, over 500 CCTV cameras and 100 watch towers, besides control rooms have been readied to keep a close watch throughout."Besides, magistrates and police personnel will be deployed at all river banks and their approach roads. The DM, along with SSP Rajeev Mishra and Patna municipal commissioner Animesh Kumar Parashar, undertook a second round of ground inspection of the preparations from Digha Patipul to Mahendru ghat, after which he said while Minar, Rajapur pul and LCT ghats were unsafe due to the depth of water and their vertical slopes, Pahalwan ghat appeared better. The district administration will release the final list of safe and unsafe ghats after receiving a detailed report from the sub-divisional officers and sub-divisional police officers concerned.In the wake of the declining water level in Ganga, likely to fathom three metres less as compared to last year's Chhath festival, the administrative machinery is also shifting the parking facility closer to the banks.Besides, the DM has also ordered the electricity department to depute teams of electricians at all ghats.Regarding traffic, the DM said as usual the movement on JP Ganga Path would be banned during the peak hours of the festival. “It would be better for devotees to take the underpass approach roads for reaching the ghats. A dedicated traffic management and parking plan has already been made for the JP Ganga Path underpass.”The administration has also made passengers’ shades at some Ganga ghats for the devotees who prefer to stay there after offering the evening arghya (salutations to the Sun god) for the concluding arghya to the rising Sun at the river bank. Similar arrangements were in progress at the banks of ponds and lakes as well like those in Danapur, Patna City and Paliganj.Paliganj’s Ular Sun Temple located in Dulhinbazar area is also a major attraction during Chhath.
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