KATHMANDU: The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has announced that preparations for managing this year’s Haritalika Teej festival (2082 BS) at the Pashupatinath Temple have reached their final stage.

At a press briefing on Sunday, PADT officials said comprehensive arrangements have been made for devotees visiting the temple, with special focus on services and facilities for Hindu women observing Teej. Preparations cover security, volunteer mobilization, distribution of sandalwood paste (chandan prasad), crowd management, footgear storage, emergency medical services, devotional music and bhajans, lighting, and designated areas for religious offerings.

To manage crowds, PADT has set up four separate entry routes into the temple from Gaushala, Mitrapark, Pingalsthan, and Tilganga. All four main temple gates will open from 3:00 AM to facilitate early morning darshan, while sandalwood distribution and other services will be available at multiple points across the Pashupati area. No special passes will be issued this year, and two temporary pedestrian bridges will be built for smooth movement of devotees.

Security arrangements include deployment of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and National Investigation Department personnel, with additional support from the Nepal Army for crowd control and infrastructure setup. CCTV cameras will monitor the temple area, while plainclothes police will be stationed to prevent theft and irregularities. Fire brigades and disaster response teams will also be on standby.

For health services, mobile health camps will be run by the Nepal Army and Kathmandu Metropolitan City, with medical supplies, ambulances, and standby nurses stationed inside the temple premises. PADT has also arranged misting systems to provide cooling relief to devotees in the core temple area.

Traffic management will restrict all vehicles from entering the sacred Pashupati zone, in compliance with a Supreme Court order. Designated parking areas have been arranged at Tilganga, Sifal, Guhyeshwari, and other locations, with local residents allowed access only on the basis of municipal identity cards.

PADT has urged devotees not to wear valuable jewelry and, as far as possible, not to bring small children due to heavy crowds. Volunteers, including female security personnel and PADT staff, will be mobilized, while shoe-storage facilities will be operated at four locations around the temple. Special provisions have also been made for elderly, sick, and differently-abled devotees.

This year, as in the past, no special puja will be organized on the day of Teej. The Trust has appealed to all devotees to cooperate with security and management officials to ensure a safe, smooth, and sacred celebration.