Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and commissionerate police will jointly inspect Durga Puja pandals across the city after weather warnings indicated the possibility of heavy rain and gusty winds during the festive period. Authorities have ordered safety checks on temporary structures, electrical installations, entry gates, hoardings and decorative displays, with repairs and compliance measures to be completed by October 12.
The civic body has directed its zonal deputy commissioners to begin immediate precautionary action in their respective areas. In a communication to the officials, BMC cited an impending cyclonic storm and severe weather forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), calling for preventive measures across all municipal zones.
The inspections will cover puja pandals, entrance gates and other temporary installations to assess their structural stability and ability to withstand strong winds. Puja committees have been asked to reinforce weak structures and remove vulnerable overhead gates that could collapse during adverse weather.
BMC additional commissioner Kailash Chandra Dash said strong winds and heavy rainfall could create risks from unstable temporary structures, overhead electrical wiring and large hoardings. Decorative lighting on road medians will not be permitted as part of the safety measures.
A joint electrical safety audit will also be conducted with electrical safety teams. Officials will examine temporary power connections, wiring arrangements, generator placement and earthing systems at the pandals. Loose, exposed or unsafe installations may be repaired or disconnected immediately to reduce the risk of electric shocks, short circuits and fires.
The civic body has separately ordered a citywide inspection of commercial hoardings, flex banners, billboards and temporary display frames. Damaged, oversized, weak or unauthorised hoardings will be removed to limit the possibility of collapse during high winds. The exercise extends beyond festival venues to other temporary structures placed along roads and public areas.
BMC and police will establish emergency communication channels with puja committees, field supervisors and response teams. The channels are intended to support faster action if weather-related incidents occur during the festival. The joint inspection arrangement also places local festival organisers within the city’s emergency-response network rather than treating pandal safety as an isolated event-management issue.
The municipal corporation has begun trimming trees using a 26-metre hydraulic ladder. The work is aimed at removing vulnerable branches that could fall on pedestrians, vehicles or traffic routes during strong winds and rain.
Zonal officials have been instructed to complete inspections and safety rectification measures before October 12. Each zone must submit its compliance report to BMC on the same evening, creating a fixed deadline for verifying whether identified risks have been addressed before the festival period continues.
