Mathura, Sep 1 : To prevent over-crowding and the possibility of stampede or other untoward accidents, the district administration in Mathura has decided to arrange for a virtual darshan during the Radha Ashtmi celebrations on September 3-4.
The decision comes after two people died due to suffocation at the Banke Bihari temple on Janmashtami last month.
District Magistrate Navneet Chahal said that all efforts will be made to prevent any stampede or other accidents and the crowd will be kept moving all the time.
LED screens will be put up on which virtual darshan of the deities will be shown.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the administration to ensure security for the visiting devotees and to provide them with all possible conveniences.
The administration has, therefore, deployed double the number of police personnel this year as compared with previous years.
Police and the PAC will be stationed in plainclothes to prevent petty crimes like chain-snatching and pick-pocketing.
Mathura ASP Abhishek Yadav said that mela premises has been divided into six zones and 16 sectors for security reasons. CCTVS and drone cameras will be used to keep a watch over the area.
A special traffic plan will be implemented from September 3 and no three-wheeler, four-wheeler or other large vehicles will be allowed into the mela area.
More parking lots have been created this time.
Mathura station in-charge Santosh Kumar Agarwal said that a decision has been taken to ply 100 additional buses for Barsana on September 3 and 4. If required, the number of additional buses can be increased.
Holidays for bus drivers and helpers have been cancelled for these two days.
On September 3, the Goswami community from Nandgaon will reach Barsana and perform songs at the temple.
Devotees will be allowed to have darshan from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., after which the temple will be closed.
At 2 a.m. on September 4, songs will be sung to mark the ‘birth’ of the deity after which another darshan will be permitted from 4.30 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Darshan will be allowed again after 15 minutes. (IANS)