Siliguri, July 10 -- With the Rath Yatra just days away, the ISKCON authorities in Siliguri have expressed serious concern over the poor condition of the road along which the chariot procession is scheduled to pass. The dilapidated stretch of
ISKCON Road in Haiderpara, coupled with waterlogging during the monsoon, has raised safety concerns for thousands of devotees expected to participate in the festival.
The Rath Yatra is scheduled to be held on July 16 and the ISKCON authorities have already written to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), urging immediate repair of the road. The civic body has assured that the road will be repaired at the earliest. However, continuous rainfall has cast doubt on whether the work can be completed before the festival.
According to ISKCON officials, the road is riddled with large potholes and has become accident-prone, with minor mishaps being reported regularly. Every year, the Rath Yatra draws thousands of devotees not only from Siliguri but also from various districts of North Bengal. The procession involves devotees pulling the chariot while many others perform devotional dances along the route.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.