Ramgarh’s district administration has ordered a set of safety and crowd-management measures at Chhath ghats ahead of the festival, including the deployment of trained divers, barricades and red flags to identify danger zones in water bodies used by devotees.
The directions were issued by sub-divisional officer Krishna Murari Tirkey during a review meeting on Thursday. The meeting brought together district administrative officials and representatives of Chhath Puja organising committees to assess preparations at the designated ghats.
The administration’s immediate focus is on reducing risks for devotees entering or gathering near water bodies. Officials have been asked to deploy trained divers and install barricades at locations where devotees may face danger. Red flags will be used to mark such zones and alert visitors before they approach the water.
The review also covered the physical and operational arrangements required at the ghats. These include cleanliness, repairs to approach roads, lighting, help desks and public announcement systems. The measures are intended to support the movement of devotees and improve the administration’s ability to communicate instructions during the festival.
Changing rooms for women devotees will be established near major ghats, according to the report. The facilities are part of the arrangements being planned around locations where people gather to offer prayers, although the administration has not specified in the supplied statement how many ghats will receive them or when they will be ready.
Parking is planned around 500 metres away from the ghats to reduce congestion near the waterfront. The arrangement separates vehicle movement from the areas where devotees are expected to assemble, while the approach-road repair plan is intended to support access to the sites. The review did not provide details of the number of parking spaces or the roads scheduled for repair.
The administration also plans to deploy volunteers carrying photo identity cards. According to a statement issued by the SDO’s office after the meeting, the volunteers will assist devotees and help maintain law and order. Their identification is expected to help visitors distinguish authorised support personnel during the festival period.
The meeting places safety measures alongside routine civic preparations such as sanitation, lighting and public information systems. The arrangements will now depend on the administration and organising committees completing the planned work at the selected ghats before devotees arrive for Chhath prayers.
