The Gadag-Betageri twin city is being spruced up and all roads leading to the venue are being developed. Cleanliness drive has been implemented and the twin city is being decked up for the great event. The reception committee is busy making boarding and lodging arrangements for the guests and literature aficionados expected to attend the Sammelana.
Volunteers are busy giving final touches to the ‘Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Pradhana Vedike’ and ‘Kumaravyasa Mahamantapa’, which is expected to be completed by Thursday evening.
A huge pendal is being erected at the venue, which will facilitate seating capacity for 25,000 people. The arrangement of chairs, light and loudspeakers are also being undertaken. A total of 800 stalls have been set up around the main stage, of which 476 will be reserved for the display and sale of books.
Information centre
Special information centres have been set up at the old and new bus terminals and the railway station for disseminating information to the visitors, guests about the event and the stay. The information centres will be functional from Thursday evening at 4 pm.
About 5,000 volunteers have been selected for the event and provisions are being made to provide emergency medical care including expert doctors and Arogya Kavacha vehicles, in case of any eventualities. The reception committee has been organising autorickshaw, bikes’ and students’ rallies from the last few days to create a buzz about the event among locals. Every family has been encouraged to decorate their houses with flowers, mango twigs and rangoli to ring in a festive spirit for the event.
Sammelana’s president Dr Geetha Nagabhushan arrived here on Wednesday evening. She was given a grand welcome by the reception committee and hundreds of literature aficionados at Betageri.