Rajkot: The ancient town of Dwarka, revered as the kingdom of Lord Krishna, is preparing to receive a massive influx of devotees during the five-day Janmashtami festival. The highest footfall is expected on the main day of Janmashtami day on Sep 4, when lakhs of pilgrims traditionally visit the town to offer prayers at the Dwarkadhish Temple.According to the district administration, around 6.66 lakh devotees visited Dwarka during last year’s five-day Janmashtami celebrations. This year, the administration expects the figure to rise to nearly seven lakh. The annual footfall during the festival has been steadily increasing, with 2024 being an exception due to heavy rains during the festival period.Officials attribute the growing number of visitors partly to improved connectivity and tourism infrastructure. The opening of the Sudarshan Setu, connecting Okha with Beyt Dwarka, has made it easier for pilgrims to reach the island. Earlier, devotees had to depend on boats to travel to Beyt Dwarka, while the bridge now allows them to reach the island in their private vehicles. The development of Shivrajpur beach as a tourist destination has also contributed to the rising tourist influx in the region.In anticipation of the surge in visitors, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for crowd management, security and surveillance, pilgrim amenities, emergency response, medical assistance and uninterrupted power supply.A structured darshan route has been planned from Kirti Stambh through the 56-step Swarg Dwar entrance to the main sanctum, with devotees exiting through Moksh Dwar. More than 600 metres of heavy-duty barricading will be installed to regulate queues and ensure that the flow of devotees remains within the temple’s capacity.Security arrangements have also been strengthened to prevent any untoward incident. Around 400 police personnel will be deployed at strategic locations around the temple. Surveillance will be supported by nearly 70 CCTV cameras, along with additional temporary cameras at key points. A centralised control room will monitor the arrangements and coordinate with personnel through wireless communication.To facilitate devotees, a 3,500-square-foot dome will house a secure luggage and footwear counter. Around 40 staff members and volunteers will manage the facility under police supervision. Between six and eight LED screens will be installed at different locations to provide live darshan to devotees waiting in queues. The temple will also stream live darshan online through its official website.Three information centres will assist pilgrims with lost-and-found complaints, food and transport information, and emergency contacts.Devbhumi Dwarka district collector R M Tanna said the administration had made comprehensive arrangements to ensure that devotees could offer prayers smoothly while crowd management and emergency response systems remained in place.“We have made all the arrangements to ensure that pilgrims can smoothly offer prayers. We have also created new infrastructure to manage the crowd, handle emergencies and provide medical facilities to lakhs of visitors,” Tanna said.Medical and emergency facilities have been strengthened in anticipation of the large gathering. Three medical centres staffed by 16 medical personnel will operate at the medical and emergency complex.A dedicated health camp will also be organised in coordination with private hospitals, while three ambulances will remain stationed for emergency response. Dedicated emergency routes will be kept clear to facilitate quick referrals to hospitals.The administration has also made arrangements to prevent disruptions caused by power outages. Lighting and decorative installations are being put in place at the Nij Mandir and administrative complex. Dual generator backups and inverters have been certified to ensure uninterrupted power supply.More than 80 temple staff members have been assigned shift-wise duties, with specific protocols laid down for handling emergencies during the festival.GfxA MATTER OF FAITHPilgrims’ influx during five-day Janmashtami festivalYear Devotees2022 5.17 lakh2023 4.83 lakh2024 2.66 lakh2025 6.66 lakh(Source: Devbhumi Dwarka district administration)
