Devotees are facing difficulty as communication between the Bidanasi Ghat and the Dhabaleswar Temple is affected due to stoppage of services by boatmen protesting compulsory safety measures like registration and insurance for their vessels and lifejackets by the Cuttack district administration.
The temple is visited by around one lakh pilgrims during the Panchuka and Bada Usha festivals every year. This rime the devotees are unable to take the short route over the Mahanadi and have to take the road and cross the river through the hanging bridge leading to the Shiva temple.
About 20 boats use to ply on the river. Now, the safety measures enforced by the administration require compulsory lifejackets for passengers and, registration and insurance of boats.
The boat owners feel the money they spent for their vessels cannot be recovered during the five days of the festivals. They demand financial help by the administration for registration of the boats.
Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements have been made by the administration looking at the large numbers of devotees from across the State expected to congregate at the Dhabaleswar Temple.
Barricades have been erected in and around the temple to ensure smooth darshan of the deity and 16 platoons of police and 60 traffic police personnel have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident.