Cuttack, Sept. 4 (UDN): The Commissionerate Police has begun preparations for Ganesh Puja in Cuttack, holding a high-level coordination meeting with puja organisers, civic authorities and community representatives to ensure peaceful celebrations and orderly immersion processions later this month.
The meeting, held at Saheed Bhawan and chaired by Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Dr. Suresh Dev Datta Singh, brought together senior police officers, members of puja committees, peace committee representatives and leaders from various political parties to review security arrangements ahead of the festival.
Ganesh Puja will be celebrated on September 14, while immersion processions are scheduled for September 20, September 27 and October 4.
During the meeting, police issued a stern warning against the forcible collection of donations, making it clear that any such complaints would invite strict action. Organisers were also instructed to adhere to all safety, traffic and administrative guidelines issued for the festival.
Addressing reporters, Commissioner Singh said nearly 1,200 organisers are currently awaiting licences for this year’s celebrations. He said the police are working to ensure that permissions are issued efficiently while maintaining necessary regulatory oversight.
The Commissioner also announced plans to expand the single-window licensing system for Ganesh Puja organisers. The system, which has been successfully implemented in Bhubaneswar, will now receive support from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to streamline registrations and approvals.
He added that where a single-window mechanism cannot be implemented immediately, the police will coordinate with the concerned government departments to expedite the clearance process.
Officials said the coordinated approach is aimed at ensuring smooth traffic management, effective crowd control and incident-free celebrations throughout the festival period.