Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is planning to organise the historic Bali Yatra in Kataka on a larger, safer and more attractive scale this year, with a special focus on showcasing the state’s rich maritime heritage to a global audience.
A high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg at Lok Seva Bhawan here discussed preparations for Bali Yatra-2026, which is scheduled to begin on November 24.
Garg stressed the need for coordinated efforts by all concerned departments to project Odisha’s centuries-old maritime trade links, particularly with Southeast Asia, on the global stage.
Kataka Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde briefed the meeting on preparations undertaken by the district administration and various departments. He said the annual festival has been witnessing a steady rise in footfall, with around 65 lakh people visiting Bali Yatra in 2025. The maximum single-day footfall was around 12 lakh.
The 2025 edition had 396 vending zones and generated business worth more than Rs 400 crore, while the Ormas section alone recorded business of around Rs 57 crore. As many as 1,420 stalls were booked, with traders from 24 states participating in the festival.
Indonesia will participate as the partner country this year, while the Tourism Department is planning a series of programmes on the Mahanadi to add to the festival’s appeal.
Traffic management, crowd control and parking arrangements also figured prominently in the review. Bali Yatra will be organised across both the upper and lower grounds this year, while half of Chatta Road has been earmarked for special parking. Additional bus services will be arranged to ferry visitors between parking areas and the festival grounds.
The government has also decided to focus on making Bali Yatra-2026 a “Plastic-Free Green Bali Yatra”. The number of stages for cultural programmes will be reduced from three to two, while 500 stalls will be set up by Ormas to promote regional products and artisans. Special vending zones will be created for temporary traders, besides dedicated spaces for handloom and handicraft stalls at prominent locations.
The meeting also discussed the proposed “Taking It to Bali” initiative under which a high-level delegation may visit Bali, Indonesia, to strengthen cultural, tourism and industrial linkages and revive memories of Odisha’s historic maritime trade voyages with Indonesia. A cultural troupe from Bali is also expected to participate in the festival.
With the Chief Minister and Governor expected to visit Bali Yatra, officials discussed advance planning of their programmes and protocol arrangements. The meeting also reviewed the need for timely release of funds and deployment of additional Odisha Administrative Service officers, engineers and security personnel for the smooth conduct of the festival.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary Mrinalini Darswal, Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh, Culture Secretary Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Bhubaneswar-Kataka Police Commissioner S. Devdatta Singh and senior officers of the Cuttack district and police administrations, attended the meeting.
Garg directed all departments to maintain close coordination and ensure that Bali Yatra-2026 is conducted in a safe, organised and memorable manner.
