Puri, July 23: Ahead of the Bahuda Yatra on Friday and the grand Suna Besha ceremony on Saturday, the Puri Police have announced an extensive traffic and parking plan to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims and vehicles during the two major Rath Yatra events.

The traffic restrictions will come into force from midnight of July 23 and remain effective until the morning of July 26. Officials said the arrangements may be modified depending on the crowd situation.

Tourist and Passenger Buses

All interstate tourist buses arriving from Bhubaneswar will be diverted to the Malatipatpur parking area, from where they will return without entering the city.

Regular passenger buses from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack will be routed through the Malatipatpur Overbridge, Bypass Road and Grid Station Square before terminating at the Talabania temporary bus stand. If the Talabania parking area reaches capacity, buses will drop passengers at Bhudan Square and park near the Swaminarayan Temple.

Buses arriving from Brahmagiri will park at the Samang parking ground, while those coming from Konark will be diverted through Chandrabhaga, Ramchandi and Balighai before reaching Talabania.

Parking for Four-Wheelers

Light motor vehicles from Bhubaneswar will be directed to designated parking areas at Talabania, including the Assembly Guest House, Industrial Training Institute, Helipad, Indoor Stadium, Horticulture Ground and Swachha Fish Market.

Once these parking facilities are full, vehicles will be diverted to parking zones near Srisetu and Sterling Square. Vehicles from the Brahmagiri side will use the Samang parking area.

Two-Wheeler Parking

Two-wheelers coming from Bhubaneswar and Brahmagiri will be allowed to park at Jagannath Ballav and Matitota Playground. If these locations become full, additional parking will be provided at the Matitota Helipad.

Motorcycles arriving from the Konark side will be directed to parking facilities at Blue Flag Beach and Hotel Nilachal Ashok.

Free Shuttle Services for Devotees

To ease the movement of pilgrims, free shuttle buses and auto-rickshaw services will operate from Talabania to Ghodabazar via Water Works Road, Odisha Bakery and Ram Mandir.

Additional shuttle services will connect Samang Parking with Srisetu Overbridge, while another route will run from Samang to Sterling Square via Mangalaghat. Shuttle services will also be available between Sterling Square and Lighthouse Road, enabling devotees to reach the Grand Road conveniently.

Puri Police have urged devotees to follow the designated traffic routes, use the notified parking areas and cooperate with security personnel to ensure a safe and hassle-free Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha.