Ground being levelled on Mahanadi embankment for the upcoming Bali Jatra. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Oct 21: Preparations for Bali Jatra — the annual fair that draws lakhs of people from different parts of the state to the millennium city — have begun. The district administration is also contemplating to build a website on the historic Bali Jatra with an objective to reach a wider audience, especially Oriyas, staying outside the country.

“The process of coming up with a special website has already begun and the main aim is to provide a platform to the people across the country and globe to be a part of the largest open-air fair,” said collector Girish S.N.

The website Baliyatra.cuttack.in would be launched by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on the opening day of the seven-day long festival starting from November 10.

Efforts are also being made for webcast of the important events and cultural programmes that would be staged during the entire festival. A Bhubaneswar based company is now working on the entire content management for the website which would be finalised soon.

According to district administration officials, the website will also give a boost to tourism and at the same time will provide an opportunity for a number of traders outside the state to know more about the historic fair.

Over three to four lakh people throng the Bali Jatra, which is held on over 37 acres of land at Quila maidan and Mahanadi river embankment.

Official sources said nearly 1,300 kiosks and pavilions displaying various ethnic and rural crafts from Orissa and other states across the country would be the main attractions at the Gandhi Shilpa Bazaar organised by the Orissa Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) at the Bali Jatra.

Besides this, the special silver filigree pavilion, which was introduced at the fair for the first time last year, would be another added attraction this time also.

The work for levelling on the ground where the kiosks would come up is being carried out by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), which will also look after the sanitation part during the festival.

“A lot of emphasis will be given on sanitation besides beautification of the land at Mahanadi embankment. Besides this, stress would be given on security arrangements during the weeklong festival,” said CMC commissioner R.N. Nanda.

According to Nanda, efforts are also on to ensure that there is a complete ban on polythene use during the festival. Moreover, stern action would be taken against those traders violating the norms.

CMC officials have further said that a special team would be formed to ensure that the vendors and other food kiosks at the fair serve no stale food.