Lucknow, Nov 13 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government will operate additional buses from Delhi to eastern districts of the state for Chhath Puja, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to put in place foolproof crowd-management and safety measures at major ghats to prevent accidents and other untoward incidents.
Reviewing preparations through video-conferencing on Friday evening, Adityanath directed officials to deploy adequate police personnel, including women officers, install barricades and warning signboards at vulnerable water bodies, and ensure the availability of trained divers, boats and water police personnel.
"No passenger should be charged more than the prescribed fare," he said, directing the State Road Transport Corporation to run additional buses from Delhi to various districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh so that people can celebrate the festival with their families, according to an official statement.
Adityanath said devotees would offer "arghya" to the setting sun on November 15, while the festival's fast would conclude with offerings to the rising sun on November 16.
"Chhath is a festival of deep public faith, discipline, purity and gratitude towards nature," he said, noting that lakhs of devotees are expected to participate in celebrations across districts, including Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ballia, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Lucknow, Ghaziabad and Kanpur.
The chief minister asked officials to assess water levels and depths at ghats, identify vulnerable spots and prevent devotees from entering deep waters. Major ghats should be monitored through CCTV cameras and public address systems, he said.
Adityanath also directed district administrations to set up control rooms to monitor arrangements and prepare traffic-management plans, including diversions and designated parking areas, to prevent congestion on major roads.
Special attention should be paid to the safety of women, children and senior citizens, he said, asking officials to ensure adequate lighting, changing rooms for women, toilets, clean drinking water and accessible approach roads at the ghats.
Adityanath directed the urban development and panchayati raj departments to coordinate cleanliness drives at ghats and surrounding areas. Uninterrupted power supply and alternative lighting arrangements should be ensured, while precautions must be taken against accidents caused by fireworks and the movement of animals at the sites, he said.
He also asked officials to arrange first-aid camps, ambulances and emergency services at major puja venues, coordinate with local organisers and seek assistance from Civil Defence, NCC and NSS volunteers.
"There must be no compromise on cleanliness, safety and public convenience during the festival," he said, directing senior officials to personally inspect the arrangements.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)