Kullu Dasehra preparations pick up pace as plot allocation begins

Under the prescribed procedure, plots are being allotted according to traders’ requirements and availability. Once allotted a plot, traders can begin setting up their shops and making other preparations. If any plots remain vacant after the deadline, they will be offered to traders who could not secure one during the initial allotment process.

Kullu Dasehra is not only a religious and cultural event but also a major commercial occasion. Huge crowds visit during the festival, offering local shopkeepers and traders from outside the region a valuable business opportunity. This year, too, traders from across the country are arriving in Kullu.

Shops, food stalls and other businesses become a major attraction once the festival begins, making plot allocation an important part of the preparations. As traders begin decorating their shops, the festival venue is expected to become increasingly vibrant.

Meanwhile, the festival has emerged as a significant source of revenue for the Himachal Pradesh Government. According to the Excise and Taxation Department, GST collected from plots and temporary shops allotted by the Dasehra committee generated Rs 1.31 crore in 2025.

Two decades ago, the government collected only Rs 15–20 lakh from such activities. Since the introduction of GST, revenue has risen sharply each year.

With GST on plots levied at 18 per cent, collections have crossed Rs 1.31 crore. This year, revenue is expected to surpass Rs 1.50 crore and could even cross Rs 1.70 crore.

Plot rates are usually increased by 10 per cent annually. However, the Dasehra committee chairman has assured traders that rates will not be raised this year.

More than 650 plots are allotted at Dhalpur Ground for a range of businesses and attractions, including swings, clothing, toys, furniture, crockery, fast-food outlets and the Meena Bazaar dome.

The seven-day fair thus generates substantial revenue for the government. Although shops are officially required to remain open for 14 days, traders are often given additional time. Earlier, traders were allowed to keep their shops for 22 days; this year, the period has been extended from October 21 to November 22.

With preparations and plot allocation in full swing, Kullu Dasehra is set to remain both a cultural spectacle and an important economic driver for the region.