Preparation is on in full swing as the sacred town of Puri is all set to host the annual Rath Yatra on Friday, June 27. As part of security preparation for the grand festival, over 10,000 security personnel have been deployed across the town. This comprises Odisha Police personnel as well as eight companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

Rath Yatra is the sacred journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple on three separate chariots, symbolising the divine siblings’ visit to their birthplace. The annual chariot festival in Puri draws lakhs of devotees, who gather to witness the majestic procession. According to Odisha Police, Puri is expected to witness over 15 lakh footfalls on the first two days of the festival this year.

Enhanced surveillance in Puri after Pahalgam terror attack

While National Security Guard (NSG) snipers have been deployed on the rooftops of buildings, anti-drone technology and police-operated drones will also be in use for aerial surveillance. To ensure security of visitors flocking to Puri for Rath Yatra, more than 250 Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras have been installed in various places in the town for surveillance.

This year’s Rath Yatra celebration will be held post-Pahalgam terror attack, and hence Odisha Police is making sure security arrangements are made accordingly. An Integrated Command and Control Room has been set up in Puri for the first time. Around 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed along the route between Uttara Chhak and Puri town and between Puri and Konark.

A real-time chatbot application has also been launched to assist visitors with information on parking availability, route maps, and directions to vacant parking spaces.

Traffic management and car parking in Puri

The Rath Yatra is expected to attract a large crowd, making traffic management a key issue. Keeping that in mind, respective arrangements have been made to control traffic during Rath Yatra in Puri, and apps will be used to provide information. At least 21 parking spots have been made across three major locations of the pilgrim town to ensure enough space for the devotees to park their vehicles. At five places, holding areas are being made to accommodate people during a heavy crowd.

Rath Yatra Special Trains

Meanwhile, the East Coast Railway has announced that it will run 365 special trains for devotees attending the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Odisha. The preparations for the Puri Rath Yatra are in full swing and to manage the surge of pilgrims, the railways has decided to run these special trains.

The trains will connect the holy city of Puri with all prime states including West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, among others. The main motive behind this move is to accommodate lakhs of devotees who will visit the city to be a part of the grand procession.

“This comprehensive rail connectivity will not only cater to the massive surge of pilgrims during the festival but also significantly ease travel for people in remote and interior districts,” the East Coast Railway said in a statement.