Sambalpur: Sitalsasthi is Coming; Will the Roads be Repaired and Inoperative Amrutdhara Restored?
Sambalpur: The popularity of Sambalpur’s Sitalsasthi Yatra (journey) is increasing day by day. The Sitalsasthi Yatra is being organized by the management committees of most of the Shiva temples in the city. Sambalpur’s Sitalsasthi Yatra has already found its place on the religious tourism map of the country. Devotees from different parts of the state and the country come to celebrate the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, which lasts for about three days. Lakhs of devotees gather to witness the marriage of the two gods.
This year’s Sitalsasthi Yatra has started with the ‘Thal Utha’ program on Akshaya Tritiya. As the main yatra (journey) is scheduled to take place in the second week of June, all the committees have expressed urgency. The staff of all the committees have started efforts to make it more interesting than the previous year. Some of the committees are in the final stages of preparation. As the election season is going on, it is reported that no amount of assistance has been provided by the administration.
The Sitalsasthi festival is being held in different parts of the city like Nandpada, Jhaduapada, Mudipada, Badabazar, and Thakurpada. Apart from this, the yatra is also going on in other areas. During the Sitalsasthi Yatra, the city becomes festive. Nandpada, Jhaduapada, Mudipada, Saan sadak, Bad sadak, Gatey Road, and other roads are heavily congested.
It is alleged that the administration is neglecting to repair these roads. The roads have not been restored for 12 years, only receiving temporary patchwork. Due to this, the road conditions have deteriorated, causing problems during the journey. Both the SMC (Sambalpur Municipal Corporation) and the R&B (Roads and Buildings) department are accused of shirking their responsibilities by claiming that road maintenance is the responsibility of the other. Along with this, there is a severe shortage of drinking water during the journey. Except for a handful of projects, most of the Amrutdhara (drinking water) have remained inoperative. It has become imperative to implement them.
Meanwhile, every year, a preparatory meeting is held by the administration. Officials from various departments present in the meeting promised cooperation. If implementation reaches half of the commitment, it would be a significant improvement. Therefore, in view of the larger interest of Sambalpur, there is a general demand for the cooperation of various departments to ensure a smooth and successful Sitalsasthi Yatra.
