The weekend Ganga aarti will restart from October 7 after a gap of almost eight months.

The event was stopped - along with the plying of two Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) boats, MV Ganga Vihar and MV Kautilya Vihar - due to security reasons after the boat tragedy on Makar Sankranti this year in which 24 persons had died.

The aarti will resume every weekend at Gandhi Ghat, behind National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor announced on Wednesday.

'I have given instructions to all the departments concerned to resume the Ganga aarti from October 7 and on October 8 there would be maha aarti at Gandhi Ghat,' Kishor said after the review meeting at the old secretariat. 'Every weekend there would be maha aarti at Gandhi Ghat. Officials have been asked to complete the preparations by September 30.'

A large number of people used to gather to watch the spectacular evening aarti that was started in 2011 on the lines of Varanasi and Haridwar.

The aarti will be performed from 7pm to 8:30pm.

A steel barricade will be built at Gandhi Ghat and there will be extra security arrangements.

'On the day of aarti, two magistrates, two police officers and 15 police personnel would be deployed to control the crowd,' Kishor said. 'CCTV cameras would be installed proper lighting from NIT Mor to Gandhi Ghat would be ensured by Patna Municipal Corporation. Gandhi Ghat will be decorated with attractive lights and no private boats will operate except tourism department boats.'

Two big LED screens will be installed at Gandhi Ghat on which people can watch the aarti. Police will be deployed on the Sabalpur side to stop private boats from plying.

Tourists can also view the aarti from the Kautilya Vihar (Rs 100 per ticket). The tourism department will deploy two divers, and 10 life jackets, five lifebuoys and two fire tenders will be kept ready.

Entry will be stopped at Gandhi Ghat after 10pm.

A six-member Ganga Aarti Management Committee, including police and civic officials, will be responsible for ensuring a safe and peaceful event.