Nitish, Badal meet

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had a long meeting with his Punjab counterpart Prakash Singh Badal today during which they discussed arrangements for 350th Prakash Utsav of Sikh Guru Govind Singh.
At the meeting, Kumar briefed Badal about arrangements made for the occasion at a high-level meeting here, officials said.
The Punjab Chief Minister was accompanied by his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee chiefs of Amritsar and Delhi Avtar Singh Makkar and Manjit Singh respectively.
Talking to reporters after the nearly two-hour long meeting, Kumar said he informed Badal about government's plan to establish a separate tented city for lakhs of pilgrims who would visit Patna Sahib during Prakash Utsav.

The Punjab Chief Minister was informed about traffic arrangements, strategy for crowd control and uninterrupted supply of electricity during the occasion.
Kumar said he had held a meeting on the arrangements for the occasion before Bihar Assembly elections itself and had assigned responsibilities to senior officers of different departments.

He said while Bihar government was making foolproof arrangements for the occasion, some work has to be done by Railways like running more trains to Patna during the festival.
Railways should make a terminal station at Patna Ghat during the occasion.
"I had written to Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu in this regard but nothing has happened so far. I will write him again," Kumar said, adding he has urged Badal also to discuss the matter with the Railways minister.

The Punjab Chief Minister expressed gratitude to Kumar for elaborate arrangements being made for 350th Prakash Utsav of tenth sikh Guru Govind Singh.
"Bihar government is extending all assistance for successful conduct of the 350th Prakash Utsav which will be attended by devotees from across the world," Badal told reporters after the meeting.
He also paid a visit to RJD President Lalu Prasad.