Ranchi: The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) would build a temporary 100-bed shelter coming up near Swarnrekha Ghat for outstation devotees and ‘kanwariyas’, who would visit Pahari Mandir in Shravan month, which starts on July 30.Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Kumar said, “The facility marks a significant upgrade in civic arrangements for pilgrims using the ghat before proceeding towards Pahari Mandir. While the civic body earlier provided only changing facilities at the ghat, a temporary shelter would be constructed this year to provide a resting place for devotees.”The civic body has also strengthened arrangements along the main pilgrimage route from Swarnrekha Ghat to Pahari Mandir. Faulty streetlights on the entire stretch have been repaired, while rope lights have been installed to improve visibility in early morning and late evening hours. Additional sanitation workers have been deployed and public toilets are being disinfected twice daily.“Medical teams will be deployed at multiple locations to ensure the health and safety of the pilgrims, with first-aid facilities available as needed. Water tankers will be stationed at key points to maintain uninterrupted drinking water supply for devotees,” Kumar said.At Pahari Mandir, where thousands of devotees are expected every day, the civic body has laid moorum on the uphill pathway to give worshippers better footing. Tree branches blocking floodlights have been pruned, and two free of cost parking lots for two-wheelers have been set up near the temple premises. Barricading is also under way to regulate queues and manage crowd movement during peak hours.To keep the pilgrimage corridor clear, RMC has started an anti-encroachment drive with strict traffic control measures. The corporation has warned that heavy fines will be imposed for unauthorised loading operations and illegal parking of trucks, commercial goods vehicles, and auto-rickshaws in the temple zone.The entire Pahari Mandir area has been declared a plastic-free zone for the festive period. Special enforcement squads will conduct regular inspections and penalise the use, storage, or sale of single-use plastic, RMC officials stated.
