Bhubaneswar: In anticipation of over one million devotees converging on Puri for Rath Yatra, including the Gundicha Jatra, Bahuda Yatra, and Suna Besha, the Odisha Transport Department has finalised a detailed multi-agency plan to ensure seamless travel, passenger safety, and efficient traffic management.
Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur chaired a high-level coordination meeting on Thursday, where officials outlined extensive arrangements involving buses, parking, amenities, enforcement, and emergency response.
Around 1,000 stage carriage buses from various routes will be deployed to ferry pilgrims to the Pilgrim Town, supported by the issuance of temporary permits by the transport department. To prevent overcharging, bus operators have been directed to prominently display fare charts inside vehicles, with strict action promised under the Motor Vehicles Act against violators.
Passenger welfare emerged as a top priority during the discussions, leading to several strict directives for bus operators:
Mandatory First-Aid Kits: All buses operating on the route must carry a first-aid kit. To facilitate this, 1,200 kits funded by the Odisha Road Safety Society (ORSS) will be distributed via regional transport offices (RTOs).
Hydration Facilities: Bus operators must provide drinking water and ORS packets on board. Additionally, dedicated drinking water facilities will be set up at major bus terminals and stops.
Fare Regulation: To protect passengers from exploitation, every bus must prominently display its fare chart. Strict action under the Motor Vehicles Act will be taken against operators overcharging commuters, with a special committee formed by the Bus Owners’ Association to curb unhealthy competition. The Puri RTO will similarly monitor and regulate auto-rickshaw fares.
Passenger Feedback: Operators must display road safety messages alongside the management’s contact numbers inside buses, allowing passengers to report reckless driving or lodge complaints directly.
Infrastructure support includes parking facilities and rest areas at Malatipatapur and Talabania in Puri, where massive rest sheds equipped with water, electricity, and complimentary cooked meals will be set up. Inter-state buses will be directed to halt at Malatipatapur, with dedicated shuttle services transporting devotees from there and Talabania into the city. Help desks will operate at key locations, including Baramunda bus terminal in Bhubaneswar and Netaji bus terminal in Kataka. Notably, no toll fees will be collected from buses at the Pipli toll gate to facilitate smoother movement.
Enforcement will be intensified across critical corridors. Special squads drawn from districts including Ganjam, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Nayagarh, Kataka, and others will be deployed to Puri to check Motor Vehicles Act violations. Speed monitoring on NH-316 and NH-16 will utilise RTO interceptor vehicles and the Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS) for automatic e-challans, while NHAI enhances highway patrolling.
Combined teams from police, NHAI, and RTO will manage key intersections in Bhubaneswar, with real-time IEMS data feeding into a Command and Control Centre for dynamic traffic adjustments. Public advisories on restrictions will be issued via social media, FM radio, and newspapers.
A robust emergency network will feature strategically placed cranes and ambulances along the Bhubaneswar-Puri highway. Government and private hospitals have been instructed to offer immediate, hassle-free treatment to accident victims under the PM-Rahat scheme through coordinated efforts between health and police departments. Automobile manufacturers and dealers have been asked to set up roadside assistance camps on the Bhubaneswar-Puri and Puri-Konark routes to address vehicle breakdowns swiftly. A 24-hour control room by the Puri RTO and a helpdesk at Talabania will provide round-the-clock support.
These proactive steps by the Odisha government aim to ensure a safe, comfortable, and spiritually fulfilling experience for lakhs of devotees during this year’s grand festival of Lord Jagannath.
