Bhubaneswar, Mar 8: Elaborate arrangements have been completed by the administration to ensure the smooth conduct of the Shivratri festival at the Dhabaleswar shrine in Odisha's Cuttack district.
Athagarh Sub-Collector Prasant Kumar Tarai announced today that the district administration has deployed a sufficient number of police personnel at the shrine as part of the security measures for the Shivratri.
"With an anticipation of thousands of devotees visiting the temple on Shivratri, we have installed barricades at the 10th-century shrine to manage the crowd. Additionally, fire brigade personnel have been stationed to address any potential emergencies," stated the Sub-Collector.
To ensure the safety of devotees, a health team has been stationed near the temple, and CCTV cameras have been installed on the temple premises to monitor any suspicious activities, including pickpocketing and other anti-social behaviors, he added.
"The police personnel have been placed on high alert to prevent incidents of pickpocketing and snatching within the temple vicinity. We will also use microphones to raise awareness among devotees regarding these issues," further mentioned the Sub-Collector.
The shrine has been embellished with flowers in preparation for the festival, and the priests are scheduled to raise the Mahadeep atop the temple around 1 am, as disclosed by the Sub-Collector.
Notably, the Dhabaleswar temple, situated on an island within the Mahanadi river in Cuttack district, holds significance as one of the renowned Shaivite shrines in Odisha.