Bali Yatra 2025 Ends in Chaos as Mayor Slams District Administration
Cuttack’s iconic Bali Yatra, celebrated as Asia’s largest open-air fair, concluded this year under a cloud of controversy and public outrage.
What began with uncertainty over the venue—settled only after a High Court intervention—spiralled into a storm of mismanagement, accidents, and bitter disputes between the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and the district administration.
Mayor Subhash Chandra Singh accused the administration of deliberately sidelining the CMC, a body that has historically played a pivotal role in organising the festival.
In a dramatic press conference, Singh tore apart an invitation letter, alleging that elected representatives’ names were deliberately omitted, symbolising the erasure of CMC’s presence.
He further claimed that the CMC commissioner was humiliated by being forced to sit below the stage during key events, a stark departure from past traditions.
The fallout was visible throughout the festival. Delays in stall allocation, an accident at the doll exhibition, and overcrowding during singer Shreya Ghoshal’s finale performance highlighted glaring lapses in planning and safety.
BJD corporator Bikash Ranjan Behera echoed the mayor’s concerns, pointing out that CMC’s exclusion from responsibilities such as crowd management and sanitation directly contributed to the chaos.
Public dissatisfaction has been mounting, with residents and civic leaders condemning the administration’s “high-handedness.” Calls are growing for an inquiry into the mismanagement, while Mayor Singh has vowed to escalate the matter to higher authorities.
For a festival meant to foster community spirit, Bali Yatra 2025 has instead exposed deep rifts in governance, leaving citizens questioning who truly safeguards Cuttack’s cultural legacy.
