Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 5, 2015 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday asked the concerned officials to prepare a holistic report on management of the recently concluded Nabakalebara festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri.

Though the festival held after 19 years gap concluded on positive note, there had been controversies over the way the management indulged in favouritism leading to a virtual protest by a particular section of servitors.

Peeved over the controversy pertaining to soul transfer of Lord Jagannath and other deities, Patnaik had deputed four ministers to oversee the management of the festival last month.

Patnaik reviewed the infrastructure projects undertaken for the festival and found to his dismay that many of the projects remained incomplete. He asked the officials to complete the pending tasks at the earliest. He suggested the officers in charge of infrastructural development projects for the festival to identify the mistakes and correct them as soon as possible.

Important projects implemented by the Works department, Urban Development, Energy, Water Resources, Transport, Tourism, Information & Technology, I&PR and Health departments were under the scanner by the chief minister at the meeting.

Records suggest that while all projects assigned to the Public Works Department have been completed, the deadline for completion of the Sakshigopal underpass has been extended till October and railway over bridge (ROB) by December.

Similarly, a decision was taken for a parking system for inter-State tourist buses, opening of a unit called ARTO of state managed public transport company – OSRTC, development of craft village and food park at the newly constructed modern bus terminal for its operation in Malatipatapur.

Patnaik was informed that the tourists who had thronged the holy city were provided ambulance service as many as 650 times on the day of Rath Yatra in Puri. Also free treatment was provided to around 51,000 patients during the day. Similarly, Nabakalebara village set up for the convenience of public during the festival was used by over one lakh people while the website created for the festival was accessed by people from as many as 102 countries.

The CM also reviewed the drainage and sewerage systems of the pilgrim town. He appreciated the officials, volunteers and also residents of Puri for the smooth conduct of the festival and making the mega event a success.

Patnaik also thanked the state police and home guards for managing the huge crowd which had gathered in the holy city during the mega religious event.