REASI, Feb 20: Ramesh Kumar, the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu and Chairman of the Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board, conducted a meeting today to evaluate the preparations for the upcoming three-day Maha Shivratri Shivkhori Mela, which is scheduled to begin on February 25, 2025.
Initially, Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Malik provided a detailed update on the arrangements, which included civic amenities such as water and electricity supply, medical services, sanitation, as well as security measures, law and order maintenance, traffic management, and food quality control.
The Divisional Commissioner assessed the actions taken for barricading, establishing a public announcement system, creating yatra registration counters, setting up control rooms, and placing hoardings to minimize inconvenience for pilgrims. “All departments involved must intensify their efforts to ensure a memorable pilgrimage experience for the visiting devotees,” he emphasized.
Considering the increasing number of pilgrims, he recommended the development of a mobile application to facilitate quick registration and management of pilgrims. Officials were instructed to leverage digital solutions for an efficient registration process and enhanced crowd management.
He urged stakeholders to ensure the provision of quality food at the langar and to prioritize cleanliness and hygienic conditions.
The Chief Medical Officer was directed to assign a doctor permanently at Bhawan, along with an ambulance and a fully equipped medical team for the festival’s duration. To bolster safety for the pilgrims, officials stationed at the Shivkhori Shrine will receive specialized training in fire safety precautions, he stated.
To ensure smooth movement for devotees, the Divisional Commissioner instructed the ARTO to provide sufficient transportation options and to deploy enforcement teams to monitor overloading and overcharging. The XEN PWD was tasked with road maintenance, planning an alternate route from Ram Mandir to the Shivkhori Shrine, and overseeing the expansion of the bridge along the route.
He also directed security and law enforcement agencies to maintain strict security and ensure effective crowd management throughout the festival.
Present at the meeting were SSP Reasi Paramvir Singh, ADC Rakesh Kumar, EO SSKSB Pardeep Kumar, ACR Anshumali Sharma, CMO, ARTO, and other officials.
