WITH AS many as 800 police officials standing guard, the nine-day Chaitra Navratra celebrations are all set to begin at Mata Mansa Devi temple here from Friday. This year, the festival also marks 200 years of the foundation of the temple. While announcing the inauguration of the festival, Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Brar said that as many as 44 CCTV cameras had been installed on the temple premises for security purpose. There would be five metal detectors at the five main entry points. [related-post] “Special focus will be laid on maintaining cleanliness on the temple premises. We have put around 110 more sanitation workers on duty for the purpose. Ambulances have been arranged for elderly residents or ailing patients who want to visit the temple. Ten wheelchairs have also been kept,” said Brar. Special buses have been arranged by CTU to ferry passengers from bus stand and railway station in Zirakpur, Panchkula and Chandigarh to the temple in Mansa Devi Complex. The shrine board has arranged a generator and four inverters to provide 24-hour power supply to the temple. “A shobha yatra was also carried out to mark the 200 years of the temple, which passed through the town on Monday. This time, we have invited renowned singers of devotional songs for the festival,” said Brar, adding that singer Anup Jalota would perform on April 10 and singer Anuradha Paudwal on April 12. The details of donations made at the temple would be uploaded on the website of the Shrine Board. Arrangements for drinking water have been made at various points. Apart from five toilets, 70 temporary toilets have been set up. The health department will ensure fogging is done every day. The occasion will also be used to encourage the visitors to build a toilet facility in their houses and participate in making the Swachhta Abhiyan a campaign, said Brar. City Magistrate Mamta Sharma will be the nodal officer for the festival Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki will pay obeisance at the temple at 9 am on Friday, which is the first day of the Navratras.
