Grand preparations by Yogi government, Barsana ready to welcome 25 lakh devotees on Shri Radha Ashtami

Fair area divided into 7 zones and 20 sectors; 3,000 police personnel to be deployed

160 special buses and 50 parking sites arranged for smooth movement of devotees

Mathura

The Yogi government has made extensive preparations in Barsana for Shri Radha Ashtami, one of the major festivals of Braj. On September 19, 2026 (Saturday), the birth anniversary of Radha Rani will be celebrated with grandeur and enthusiasm at the renowned Shri Ladli Ji Temple in Barsana. On this occasion, a special abhishek of Shri Ji and several cultural programmes will be organised. In view of the possibility of nearly 25 lakh devotees gathering for the festival, the Uttar Pradesh government and the local administration have made elaborate arrangements for security, traffic management and the convenience of devotees.

For crowd management and security, the entire Barsana fair area has been divided into 7 zones and 20 sectors. Nearly 3,000 police personnel have been deployed to maintain vigilance across the area. These include 8 Additional Superintendents of Police, 38 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 75 Inspectors, 320 Sub-Inspectors, 68 Women Sub-Inspectors, 2 companies of PAC and 2 platoons of PAC Flood. In addition, intensive surveillance of the entire fair area will be carried out through 155 CCTV cameras and drones. To assist devotees, 2 lost-and-found centres and 6 watch towers have also been established.

To ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience in travel, route diversion for heavy vehicles has been implemented. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will operate 160 special buses, while 40 buses have been kept in reserve. Two drivers have been assigned to each bus. A temporary bus stand has also been set up in Barsana. To regulate crowds, arrangements have been made for 38 holding areas, 50 parking sites, 88 barriers, 14 barricading points and shoe-storage facilities at 7 locations.

The Health Department will set up 12 medical camps in the fair area. For emergencies, bike ambulances, ambulances at regular intervals and adequate availability of anti-venom medicines have been ensured. Arrangements have been made to maintain high standards of cleanliness and ensure that the fair remains completely plastic-free. Organisers of bhandaras have also been instructed to ensure regular garbage collection and the placement of dustbins.

All roads have been made pothole-free, uninterrupted power supply has been ensured, and plastic wrapping of transformers and poles has been carried out from a safety perspective. The Mathura-Vrindavan Development Authority (MVDA) has given the entire town of Barsana a renewed grand appearance through façade lighting, wall paintings and decorative fabric installations. Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department is also conducting an intensive inspection campaign to curb adulteration.

District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said that the Shri Radha Ashtami festival will be celebrated in Barsana on September 19 in an extremely divine, grand and festive manner. He said that the administration’s highest priority is to ensure that the lakhs of devotees visiting Barsana receive every possible facility and are able to have darshan of Shri Ji smoothly and without any inconvenience. For this, the administration is fully committed. Along with devotees coming from outside, special attention is also being given this year to the convenience of local residents of Barsana. To ensure that local residents are also able to have darshan of their revered Shri Ji (Shri Radharani Ji) on this sacred occasion, special passes have been issued by the administration so that they do not face any inconvenience due to overcrowding.