Guwahati, June 23: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged devotees to avoid nighttime visits to Nilachal hill due to recent landslide occurrences as the annual Ambubachi Mela began at the Kamakhya temple on Sunday.

Over the past two to three weeks, multiple landslides have been reported at various locations on the hill.

A representative from the Kamrup (Metro) district administration stated that the Public Works Department (PWD) has implemented protective measures, and teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on standby to address any landslide incidents.

The temple's doors were closed at 2:56 PM today and are scheduled to reopen at 3:19 AM on June 26.

During the four-day Ambubachi Mela, thousands of sadhus and devotees have gathered at the temple.

Tourism Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, speaking at the Ambubachi Mela inauguration, mentioned that they anticipate over 1 million devotees this year.

He also noted that five stalls have been established to accommodate visitors from outside the state, and specially crafted welcome letters will be distributed to these attendees.

To maintain cleanliness throughout the Ambubachi festivities, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has deployed approximately 5,000 workers who will operate in three shifts.