Puri: The district administration will impose prohibitory order under Section 144 in Puri town from Monday, a day ahead of Bahuda Yatra (return journey of Lord Jagannath and his siblings) on Tuesday.
Puri Collector Samarth Verma informed this to the media on Saturday.
The collector said the restrictions imposed during Rath Yatra will be clamped during Bahuda Yatra too.
“As Bahuda Yatra is scheduled on July 20, prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC will be invoked in the entire town from 8 pm of July 19 to restrict the movement of people. This time, we will be imposing more restrictions in Balagandi area along Bada Danda (Grand Road),” he informed.
“No person will be allowed to witness the yatra from the rooftops and the balconies of the houses along Bada Danda. We will issue an order for the closure of all hotels and lodging houses along Bada Danda from on Saturday evening,” he added.
Verma also informed that the administration will hold a preparatory meeting on the conduct of Bahuda Yatra on Saturday evening. The local magistrate, police officers and officials of the line departments will be present.
Meanwhile, the process has started to keep the three chariots facing the main temple towards the south. “Police personnel and Bhoi sevayats will pull the three chariots up to Nakachana Dwar. If the rituals of the Lords are performed in time, we expect the entire process to be completed by this (Saturday) evening,” Verma said.
Earlier in the day, the Dakhina Moda of the three chariots began after the Puja Panda Samant sevayats brought the Agya Malas (consent garlands) from Gundicha temple and handed them over to the mukhya maharana (chief carpenters) of the three chariots.
After the rituals, the pulling of the Darpadalana chariot of Devi Subhadra began. This was followed by the pulling of the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balabhadra and Nandighosa chariot of Lord Jagannath.