AGARTALA, July 23 (TIWN): To mark the auspicious festival of traditional Kharchi Puja on July 24, Governor Tathagata Roy is expected to inaugurate the festival at iconic Chaturdasha Devta Temple premises in Khayerpur, in the outskirts of Agartala, confirmed Deputy Speaker and chairman of mela committee Pabitra Kar.

To ensure peace and calm during the festive tenure, all the necessary preparations has been accomplished. Keeping in mind of huge presence of devotees, strict preventative measures are being taken to prevent any unpleasant incidents that may happen during the festival.

Further, the committee will ensure strict security within the temple premises which will include the instalment of adequate number of CCTV cameras and also police personals will be deployed in plain clothes.

However, the mela committee has decided to open separate pavilion within the premises itself.

Beside, District Magistrate (DM), West Tripura Dr. Milind Ramteke has imposed strict restriction over the movement of heavy vehicles on the National Highway during the weeklong festival.

Keeping in mind the throng of devotees in the traditional festival, from Bijoy Sangha drop gate to Dalura drop gate of NH-44 road has been declared as no parking zone. Heavy vehicles like trucks and passenger cars will not be allowed to move on the National Highway from morning 8 am to night 11 pm from July 24 to 31 next.

As day by day the rushes of the devotees are increasing, to ensure convenient movement of the devotees, the roads are renovated for the smooth movement of the pedestrians and the vehicles.  Water drainage system has also been developed in the temple premises area, including the roads and office building region.

Cultural program will also be organized with the initiative of ICA department.

Kharchi Puja is a weeklong festival. The rituals are conducted by tribal priests and the main priest is called ‘Chantai.’ The main feature of this festival in Tripura is that, whether the festival is basically tribal or not, all people regardless tribal and non-tribal join the festival in a joyous mood and become part and parcel of it.