Thane, February 28 The 'Hind-Di-Chadar' commemoration began on Saturday in the Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai, with elaborate arrangements made by the Maharashtra government, and over 15 lakh devotees expected to attend the two-day event.
The congregation, marking the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, is being held at the Owe Ground in Sector 29.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to address the gathering on Sunday, officials said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and other ministers, legislators, and Sikh religious figures will also be present.
On the first day, a large community meal (langar) was organized for the devotees, along with a health camp to provide medical assistance.
Banjara women performed traditional dances, adding to the cultural atmosphere of the religious gathering.
The state government has undertaken extensive planning involving multiple agencies for the event.
Principal Secretary Shrikar Pardeshi had previously chaired a high-level review meeting and directed departments to coordinate closely to ensure the smooth conduct of the event.
According to officials, the Owe Maidan venue can accommodate around five lakh devotees at a time, with seating arrangements for nearly 80,000 people in the main pavilion.
Authorities have implemented a special traffic management plan, identifying 30 parking sites and constructing a temporary bridge at Kopra to ease vehicular movement. A dedicated pedestrian pathway has also been created from state transport bus drop-off points to the venue.
The police have deployed CCTV surveillance, a central control room, and volunteers to maintain security.
The health infrastructure includes temporary medical centers, an ICU facility at the venue, and reserved beds in nearby hospitals. Special arrangements for sanitation, drinking water, electricity, and the distribution of water bottles have also been made, organizers said.