Odisha Police has made strict security arrangements for Puri Rath Yatra, 12 thousand policemen will be deployed.
Odisha: Odisha Police have begun extensive security and crowd management preparations for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri. This year, the Rath Yatra will begin on July 16th and will last for nine days. Anticipating the participation of millions of devotees, the administration has prepared a comprehensive security plan to ensure a peaceful and safe passage of the event.
A high-level review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania, where preparations for security arrangements, traffic control, and crowd management were discussed in detail. The meeting revealed that approximately 12,000 police personnel will be deployed for this massive religious event.
Central forces will also play a significant role in the security arrangements. Ten companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), including units such as the CRPF and the Border Security Force (BSF), will be deployed for the event. In addition, a total of 250 platoons of the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP), Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBN), Andhra Pradesh Police Reserve (APR), and traffic police will be deployed in particularly sensitive and crowded areas.
Approximately 3,000 Home Guards will also be deployed in various parts of the city to manage crowds and maintain smooth traffic flow. These Home Guards will primarily be deployed for parking arrangements, crowd control, and traffic management to ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience.
The police administration has emphasized ensuring that there is no chaos or security lapse during the Rath Yatra. DGP Y.B. Khurania directed officials to take all necessary steps in advance to anticipate potential challenges. He stated that crowd control is the biggest challenge during such a large religious event, and therefore, coordination at all levels is essential.
The police have also appealed to devotees to follow the traffic and security advisories issued by the administration. Odisha Police stated that devotees will be periodically updated on the route, crowd management, and parking through the official portal and other media.
Officials believe that the main challenge during the Rath Yatra will be managing the massive crowds and maintaining smooth traffic. Puri city sees a massive influx of devotees from across the country and abroad, putting pressure on roads and major thoroughfares. A large deployment of security forces has been made to address this.
The police administration has also stated that technical surveillance and coordinated control systems will be strengthened this time to ensure prompt response to any emergency. Additional surveillance and patrolling will be increased in sensitive areas.
Preparations are in the final stages at both the administrative and police levels to ensure the smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra. Officials express confidence that with tight security arrangements and efficient management, the religious event will be conducted peacefully and safely.
