Just 48 hours from launch, Chhattisgarh’s iconic Rajim Kumbh Kalp Mela in Gariaband is mired in controversy over shambolic preparations. From February 1-15, the riverside venue will swell with lakhs of worshippers, but current scenes of disorder raise red flags on safety and readiness.
Minister Rajesh Agarwal’s impromptu tour exposed the rot: makeshift stalls without anchors, exposed electrical hazards, zero sanitation blocks, and disorganized access routes. Livid, he dressed down the event management firm and local admins, insisting on overnight overhauls. Fresh off a worker’s safety breach, these revelations intensify scrutiny on the mega-event’s handling.
Blame circles the three-year-old practice of tendering out core tasks to event specialists—encompassing tents, lights, barriers, and more. Aimed at managing the colossal footfall efficiently, it has instead fostered lapses, with agencies cutting corners under deadline pressures.
Locals vent frustration over liquor policy silence. Annual norms dictate 15-day shop closures for sobriety, yet no confirmation has surfaced. Parallel demands seek meat trade halts, safeguarding Rajim’s spiritual purity.
Bureaucratic blind spots persist too. Information panels stuck on ‘Rajim Punni Mela’ ignore the post-BJP rename to ‘Rajim Kumbh (Kalp),’ amid unresolved BJP-Congress feuds. No updates from PWD or leaders.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Success hinges on last-ditch fixes ensuring devotee safety and comfort. Minister Agarwal’s intervention offers hope, but execution remains the test.