Bhoharai: With Makar Sankranti approaching, more than 1 crore pilgrims are expected to attend the annual Ganga Sagar Mela on Sagar Island at the confluence of the Ganga River and the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, officials said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the mela Thursday evening at a function at Babughat in Kolkata. With the administration anticipating a massive influx of devotees, security and logistical arrangements have been significantly strengthened.
Meanwhile, a fire caused by an electrical short circuit broke out at temporary shelters at Ganga Sagar, affecting camps used by the Bajrang Parishad, the Department of Culture and media personnel. More than 100 camps were gutted. No casualties were reported, and reconstruction of temporary shelters is underway on a war footing. The closure of the Rasalpur–Mayagalin passenger launch ferry ghat since January 9 has caused hardship to lakhs of pilgrims from Odisha and West Bengal’s two Medinipur districts.
