Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal on Sunday reviewed preparations for the Ravan Vadh programme to be held at Gandhi Maidan on September 30.

Senior officers attending the meeting were instructed to ensure the programme went off safely and peacefully. District magistrate Agarwal also told them to guarantee proper crowd management so that the safety of visitors was taken care of. Hundreds of people throng to the iconic Gandhi Maidan every year to see the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad burn.

"Instructions have been issued to make proper arrangement for lighting at the ground, especially at all the gates. No wires should be found hanging at the ground and if there is any damage, it should be fixed well in advance," Agarwal said.

In 2014, a stampede during the Ravan Vadh ceremony had claimed 33 lives following a rumour of a loose wire.

Sunday's meeting was attended by officials of different departments involved in the preparations for Ravan Vadh. In the past week, Agarwal and Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor have conducted several rounds of meetings with senior district officials over the festive season.

Agarwal instructed building construction officials to repair damaged pathways.

"The most difficult task for the district administration is to control the crowd when the programme ends and the people start leaving. It is important that at that time officials ensure the dispersal is peaceful. If anyone is found missing from the venue, strict action would be taken against them," Agarwal stressed.

Gandhi Maidan police station house officer (SHO) Priyaranjan Kumar has already been directed to make ground free of encroachment. "Any encroachment should be removed in advance," said Agarwal.

Gandhi Maidan has been divided into four zones for of Ravan Vadh and accordingly, police and magistrates would be deployed. The crowd will be monitored through closed-circuit television cameras temporarily installed at the ground. A public address system would also be put in place.

"Adequate force and magistrates would be deployed and all the gates which will have door-frame metal detectors. Parents are suggested to bring their children with their name, address and contact numbers on them," the DM said.