15 lakh devotees expected at Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniversary event

Nearly 15 lakh people are expected to gather in Navi Mumbai later this month for a two-day ‘Hind-Di-Chadar’ commemoration marking the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, officials said on Wednesday.

The event will be held on 28 February and 1 March at Owe Maidan in Kharghar. The ground can accommodate approximately five lakh people at a time, with seating for around 80,000 attendees in the main pavilion. According to a statement issued by the Konkan divisional commissioner’s office, construction of the pavilion is in its final stages and is expected to be completed within the next five days.

With footfall over the two days projected to exceed 1.5 million, authorities have devised a comprehensive traffic management plan to prevent gridlock in and around the venue. Thirty designated parking locations have been identified, and a temporary bridge is being constructed at Kopra to ease vehicular movement.

A dedicated pedestrian corridor is also being laid out from state transport and bus drop-off points to the main venue. Officials noted that the nearby Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) area sees nearly 25,000 heavy vehicles daily, necessitating close coordination between the district administration, traffic police and other agencies to regulate movement.

Security arrangements will include extensive CCTV coverage, a central control room and volunteers stationed throughout the grounds to manage crowds and respond to emergencies.

Health authorities are also scaling up preparations. In the run-up to the event, 2,159 health camps have been conducted in rural areas, drawing significant participation.

At the venue itself, five temporary medical units and an ICU facility will be established. In addition, 350 hospital beds — including 75 ICU beds — have been reserved in nearby hospitals. Ambulances, mobile medical teams and first-aid posts will be deployed across the site.

Officials said special attention is being given to sanitation, drinking water supply, electricity and lighting to ensure minimal inconvenience to visitors.

Arrangements have also been finalised for langar, or community meals, expected to serve around 2.5 lakh people. Separate facilities have been planned to cater to 12,500 individuals at a time, ensuring smooth distribution during peak hours.

Authorities said the multi-layered preparations aim to ensure that the large-scale religious gathering proceeds smoothly and safely.

With PTI input