Gaya: Ahead of the Pitripaksh Mela beginning Sept 25, police, disaster management officials and railway authorities on Saturday reviewed arrangements to manage the expected rush of pilgrims, with focus on traffic, parking, passenger facilities and security.At a meeting of the traffic, transport and parking cell at the collectorate, additional collector (disaster management) Kumar Pankaj and city SP Abhinav reviewed traffic regulation, vehicle movement, crowd control and parking arrangements for the fortnight-long mela.District transport officer Rajesh Kumar said all designated parking sites had been physically inspected and directed to provide sheds, drinking water, toilets, changing rooms, lighting, CCTV cameras and public address systems. Jeevika women will also run camps offering low-cost meals. The city SP directed police station in-charges to prevent roadside and haphazard parking and ensure adequate lighting and public address facilities at Bhusunda vehicle parking site. Magistrates will be deployed at busy pinddaan sites as required.Meanwhile, Bihar assembly Speaker Prem Kumar inspected Gaya Junction and reviewed passenger facilities, security, the holding area and ticketing arrangements with railway and district administration officials.Kumar said, “The railways had stepped up preparations to handle the expected rush of pilgrims during the Pitripaksh Mela, with additional ticket counters, ticketing machines and a 30,000-capacity holding area among the key facilities”.The station will have 10 ticket booking counters, along with seven automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) and three multi-purpose unreserved ticketing system (MUTS) machines. Three additional trains will be operated, while two additional MEMU trains will be kept ready as required.Last year, around 80,000 pilgrims travelled to Gaya Junction by train. Train halts at Punpun Ghat and Anugrah Narayan halt have also been planned to ease pressure on the station.Around 80% of Gaya Junction’s redevelopment work has been completed with the rest targeted for completion by March 2027. The station has seven operational platforms.“For security, around 200 RPF and 200 CRPF personnel will be deployed, with around 60 security personnel expected to be on duty in each shift”, Kumar said.The Gaya Municipal Corporation also held a cleanliness and awareness rally from Vishnupad Temple. DM Shashank Shubhankar, mayor Virendra Kumar alias Ganesh Paswan and municipal commissioner Gagan Kumar joined the drive. Officials said the mela area would remain a no-plastic zone and consumption of intoxicants would be prohibited.