Puri, June 27: With Deva Snana Purnima just a day away, Puri Police has put in place an extensive traffic and security plan to manage the expected influx of lakhs of devotees arriving to witness the sacred Snana Yatra and the Hathi Besha of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
To ensure smooth traffic management, over eight platoons of police force have been deployed. The arrangements include one SP/Commandant-rank officer, two Additional SPs/Deputy Commandants, six DSPs/Assistant Commandants, 10 Inspectors, 87 SI and ASI officers, 140 constables and 406 Home Guards.
Bus traffic arrangements
All tourist buses arriving from outside Odisha will be parked at Malatipatpur.
Regular buses from Bhubaneswar will enter Puri through Atharnala, proceed via Hospital Square and terminate at the Puri Bus Stand.
Buses coming from Konark will be diverted via Baidas Nagar, Malatipatpur, Batagaon, Atharnala and Hospital Square before reaching the bus stand.
Regular buses from the Brahmagiri side will travel through Mangalaghat Chhak, the bypass road, Harekrushnapur Chhak, Atharnala and Hospital Square before reaching the bus stand.
After dropping passengers, all buses will exit via Matiapada Chhak and Atharnala towards their respective destinations.
Parking for Light Vehicles
Light vehicles coming from the Bhubaneswar side will be routed through Batagaon and Shree Setu to the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Parking area. Once full, vehicles will be diverted sequentially to Jail Road Parking, Saradhabali Parking, Blue Flag Beach Parking, Hotel Nilachal Ashok Parking and finally Talabania Parking. Vehicles must return through the same route used for entry.
Vehicles approaching from the Brahmagiri side will also use Shree Setu to reach Jagannath Ballav Parking. If that parking area reaches capacity, they will be diverted through Mangalaghat Chhak and Sterling Chhak to Jatrika Parking before returning via the same route.
Light vehicles arriving from the Konark side will travel through Baidas Nagar, Grid Station, Penthakata, City Road and Subash Bose Chhak before parking at Blue Flag Beach or Hotel Nilachal Ashok. They will exit through the same route.
Two-Wheeler Parking
Two-wheelers coming from Bhubaneswar, Brahmagiri and Konark will be allowed up to Market Chhak and parked at the Municipality Market Complex. Once this facility is full, vehicles will be diverted to the Old Jagannath Ballav Parking area.
Vehicles parked at Jagannath Ballav will exit through Narendra Kona and Jatia Babaji Chhak, while those parked at the Municipality Market Complex will leave via Hospital Square.
Tourists and devotees visiting the sea beach on two-wheelers have been advised to park their vehicles at the designated parking area near Digabareni Chhak through VIP Road.
Puri Police has appealed to devotees to follow the designated traffic routes and cooperate with security personnel to ensure smooth movement and the peaceful conduct of the Snana Yatra festivities.
