On Friday, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi convened a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to evaluate the preparations for the annual Ratha Yatra, focusing on enhancing coordination, communication, and safety protocols to facilitate the festival’s smooth execution. This review follows a similar meeting in Puri on July 6.
During the session, Majhi examined the overall arrangements and instructed officials to ensure tight coordination and ongoing communication at all levels to prevent any lapses during the event. He highlighted the importance of timely ritual conduct, the security of chariots and attendees, effective crowd management, and fire safety measures.
The Chief Minister noted that competent and seasoned officers would be crucial for the orderly administration of the Ratha Yatra. He reiterated the necessity for cohesive information sharing among officers and staff at all levels to guarantee the implementation of pre-established plans and to respond promptly to any arising needs. He emphasized, “There should be a system for continuous sharing of information among officers and employees at every level to ensure the implementation of pre-determined decisions and to take necessary measures as required. Senior officers must ensure that there is no communication gap under any circumstances.”
Additionally, Majhi reviewed the arrangements concerning crowd control, women’s safety, monitoring of suspicious activities and substance abusers, traffic management, food and water quality checks, emergency evacuation strategies, and readiness for adverse weather conditions. He instructed officials to make all arrangements foolproof.
As per an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, approximately 12,000 police officers, alongside sufficient Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), will be deployed for security during the festival. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy will also be on standby to prevent illegal actions along the coast.
Furthermore, 19 senior IPS officers have been designated to oversee security measures. The Chief Minister’s Office reported the installation of 473 CCTV cameras to monitor devotee movements and 65 large LED screens to provide crucial information in Odia, Hindi, and English. To enhance communication, 16 permanent mobile towers and several temporary towers have been established, with bulk messaging systems also in place for information dissemination.
Help desks will be set up at Gundicha Temple to assist elderly and differently-abled devotees, ensuring a smooth experience when seeking Darshan of the deities. Multiple evacuation corridors have been created to manage crowds, while an Integrated Command and Control Centre will oversee all security operations.
Arrangements for parking, high-mast lighting along the Grand Road, 1,700 bio-toilets, and eight temporary hospitals have also been made to provide healthcare services during the festival. Volunteers will be assigned to maintain the cleanliness of the bio-toilets.
The meeting concluded with the announcement that over 300 special trains will be operational to Puri during the Ratha Yatra, with the Chief Minister urging officials to synchronize crowd management and passenger movement with train schedules. Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Aravind Padhee, and Additional Director General of Police, Soumendra Priyadarshi, provided detailed reports on the preparations.
