80,000 footfall on day 1 of Baliyatra in Cuttack

The historic Baliyatra festival kicked off with traditional fanfare in the Millennium City on Friday. Over 80,000 people visited the fair ground on the first day. 
Heavy rush of visitors on the first day of Baliyatra in Cuttack on Friday | Rashmiranjan Mohapatra
Heavy rush of visitors on the first day of Baliyatra in Cuttack on Friday | Rashmiranjan Mohapatra

CUTTACK: The historic Baliyatra festival kicked off with traditional fanfare in the Millennium City on Friday. Over 80,000 people visited the fair ground on the first day. Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera officially inaugurated the largest annual trade fair of the State. Apart from various colourful cultural programmes, the annual Souvenir ‘Baliyatra Cuttack Utsav-2018’, published by District Council of Culture, was also released on this occasion. Sports and Youth Services Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera, MPs Bhatruhari Mahatab and Kulamani Samal were present.

This year, over 1300 stalls have been set up on both Killa Maidan or Upara Padia adjacent to Barabati Fort and Tala Padia on the river bed of Mahanadi, covering a total area of about 44 acre. While 20 stalls have been reserved for Government establishments, a dedicated pavilion consisting of 100 stalls for transgenders and physically challenged artisans has also been set up. The district administration has allotted 1082 plots to traders for setting up stalls and collected a revenue of around `1.11 crore.

Like previous years, Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) is hosting a national level Pallishree Mela in partnership with with Mission Shakti, the Central Government’s Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), State’s Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), Textile department and Directorate of Handicrafts & Cottage Industries.

The pavilion has 380 stalls which have been set up by different self help groups and industrial societies of 30 districts of Odisha and traders from 22 States to showcase their respective indigenous products, ethnic and rural crafts, informed ORMAS Deputy Director Bipin Bihari Rout. 

“To attract more people, ORMAS has also come up with a ‘Food Fest’ in the pavilion. As many as 20 food stalls will offer different delicacies of Odisha and other States during the fest,” said Rout.

As many as 43 joy rides and amusement swings have also been set up at Baliyatra ground. Various cultural troupes from across the State and outside will stage a plethora of programmes at Ganakabi Baishnab Pani Manch every day during the fair which has been extended by two more days this year.

As around 20 lakh visitors are expected to throng the 10-day Baliyatra, the Commissionerate Police has made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order at the fairground. 

Besides imposing restrictions on plying of vehicles on certain routes, creating multiple entry and exist points at the fair and making adequate parking provision for better crowd management, the administration has deployed 32 platoons of police force and installed CCTV cameras at strategic points, said DCP Akhilesvar Singh.

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