Bhubaneswar, July 10: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan to assess preparations for the upcoming Rath Yatra in Puri.

 The meeting focused on ensuring seamless coordination among departments, strengthening security arrangements, managing crowds, and enhancing facilities for millions of devotees expected to participate in the annual festival.

The Chief Minister emphasized that effective cooperation, coordination, and continuous communication among all officials and departments are essential for the smooth and orderly conduct of the Rath Yatra.

He noted that the festival could be managed efficiently under the supervision of experienced officers, with particular attention to timely rituals, chariot safety, crowd control, and fire safety measures.

The review followed an earlier meeting held by the Chief Minister in Puri on July 6.

Majhi reiterated the importance of eliminating communication gaps at every administrative level. He directed senior officials to maintain a robust information-sharing mechanism so that decisions and emergency responses could be implemented without delay.

The Chief Minister also reviewed arrangements related to cordon management, women's safety, monitoring of suspicious persons and substance abusers, traffic regulation, food and drinking water quality, emergency evacuation, and weather-related preparedness. He instructed officials to ensure that all systems remain foolproof throughout the festival.

Extensive security deployment

Officials informed in the meeting that around 12,000 police personnel and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would be deployed for security duties. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy will also remain on alert. To oversee the security arrangements, 19 senior IPS officers have been assigned supervisory responsibilities.

For surveillance, 473 CCTV cameras have been installed across key locations, while 65 large LED screens will provide real-time information and public announcements in Odia, Hindi, and English.

Communication infrastructure has also been strengthened with 16 permanent telecom towers and several temporary towers to ensure uninterrupted mobile connectivity. Bulk messaging services will also be used to disseminate important information to devotees.

Special arrangements for devotees

Special facilities will be provided for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and other devotees at the Gundicha Temple, including dedicated help desks to facilitate darshan. Multiple evacuation corridors have been created to improve crowd management, while an Integrated Command and Control Centre will monitor all security operations in real time.

Officials have been assigned responsibility for every critical aspect of the festival, including parking management and high-mast lighting along the Grand Road (Bada Danda).

To improve sanitation, 1,700 bio-toilets have been installed exclusively for the Rath Yatra, with one volunteer assigned to maintain cleanliness for every five toilets. In addition, eight temporary hospitals have been established to provide immediate medical assistance during the festival.

Transport and crowd management

More than 300 trains are expected to operate to Puri during this year's Rath Yatra. The Chief Minister directed officials to synchronize crowd management with train schedules, ensure timely dissemination of information to arriving passengers, and implement effective measures to manage the anticipated influx of devotees.