Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has begun preparations for next year’s Puri Rath Yatra with plans to widen key roads, develop additional parking facilities, strengthen emergency healthcare and improve mobile connectivity to manage the massive influx of devotees.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg discussed the plans with the officials concerned of various departments at the first preparatory meeting for the festival at Lok Seva Bhawan on Thursday.
Garg directed the departments to initiate infrastructure projects early and complete them within deadlines. In this context, the second phase of Puri’s Integrated Control and Command Centre is targeted for completion by March 2027, ahead of the festival.
Know Your Dates
Temple Chief Administrator Aravind Kumar Padhee informed that next year’s Rath Yatra will be celebrated on 5 July, Bahuda Yatra on 13 July, Suna Besha on 14 July and Niladri Bije on 16 July.
The ritual worship of chariot timber will take place on 11 February, said Padhee, who is also the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department.
He said 865 logs of timber would be required for the three chariots. With 100 logs available from this year’s festival, another 765 logs must be arranged, besides palm timber for charamala.
What’s in the Works
The chief secretary asked the Works department to urgently repair the road connecting Biraharekrushnapur with Balighat and improve roads connecting Puri. Widening the road at Matiapada to facilitate two-way traffic and developing multilevel parking facilities at selected locations were also discussed.
The Puri Collector was directed to remove encroachments along major roads connected to Bada Danda well before the festival.
Rly Job on Track
Railway officials said the new Puri railway station building would be completed well before the festival, with plans for its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The authorities also proposed 22 to 25 permanent telecom towers and large LED screens linked to public announcement systems at key locations. Strengthening the power network and stopping utility-related excavation well before the festival were also emphasised.
On the Health Front
This apart, the health department has been asked to make a permanent medical facility operational at Malatipatpur bus stand. The district headquarters hospital will be shifted to a nearby new building with improved facilities.
It was also decided that volunteers and stretcher-bearers will be identified and trained, while unobstructed emergency corridors will be maintained in hospitals.
Fire Services Measures
Fire Services will arrange high-capacity pumps to tackle waterlogging and strengthen coastal safety through lifeguards, rescue equipment and observation towers.