Cuttack: Following last year’s overcrowding and stampede-like situation during Baliyatra, the district administration has planned a disaster management cell and drawn up an emergency response plan for this year’s eight-day fair, scheduled from Nov 24 to Dec 1. A special evacuation plan is being prepared to deal with sudden crowd surges, stampedes, congestion, riots and other emergencies.Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde said the administration was taking no chances with public safety. “Last year, we witnessed heavy crowds and a stampede-like situation at certain locations. This year we have planned a special disaster management cell for Baliyatra to tackle any untoward incident,” Shinde said.He added that more than 10 watchtowers will be installed for monitoring, while around 11 teams will work to ensure smooth movement of visitors.A special cell at the fairground will bring together officials from the water resources department, TPCODL, roads and buildings (R&B) department, police, fire services, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Cuttack Municipal Corporation.Officers will monitor the situation closely and take immediate action in an emergency. Several designated exit routes and response mechanisms will be put in place to facilitate swift evacuation, if required. “A total of eight control rooms will function across the two grounds, while teams of ODRAF and fire services will be deployed at strategic locations,” Shinde said.He added that a dedicated evacuation mechanism would be activated in case of overcrowding, law and order problems or any other emergency. With lakhs of visitors expected, the administration has made crowd regulation, inter-departmental coordination and emergency preparedness key priorities for this year’s Baliyatra.