Puri: Odisha DGP Y B Khurania on Wednesday said that Puri will remain a ‘no-flying zone’ from Rath Yatra till Niladri Bije of the sibling deities of Shree Jagannath Temple.
Drone operations will be strictly prohibited during the period, and strict action will be taken against violators to ensure security.
On Wednesday, the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra were ceremonially moved from the traditional ‘Ratha Khala’ construction site to near the Lion’s Gate (Singhadwar) of the 12th-century shrine as part of final preparations. The three iconic chariots — Nandighosh, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalan — now stand on the Grand Road under heavy security, following the ‘Agnyamala’ ritual granting permission. “The rituals for the Lord’s journey are being carried out in accordance with tradition. The chariots have been positioned at the Singhadwara… The conditions for the Rath Yatra are auspicious, and the weather is very pleasant…,” sevayat Ramachandra Dasmohapatra said.
Lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad have gathered in the holy coastal town, gripped with religious fervour, to pull the chariots approximately 3 km to the Gundicha Temple on Thursday. The Gundicha Temple is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of the Chaturdha Murti. The pulling is scheduled to begin around 4 pm after the ‘Chhera Pahanda’ ritual by the Gajapati Maharaja and other ceremonies, including the Pahandi Bije procession set to start between 9 and 9:30 am.
Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Kumar Padhee told reporters: “All the preparations for the Rath Yatra have entered the final stage.” He added that ‘Netrotsav’ and ‘Nava Yauvana Darshan’ rituals were conducted smoothly on Tuesday, providing the first glimpse of the deities after their 14-day period of isolation, and that Wednesday’s rituals were also proceeding as scheduled. “The district administration, police and servitors are all prepared for the Rath Yatra to begin from Thursday,” Padhee said.
Puri Collector Divya Jyoti Parida stated: “With the blessings of Mahaprabhu, all three chariots have now reached their designated positions. This has been made possible through the coordinated efforts of the servayats, the police force, and officials from the administration. Our priority now is to bring all ongoing preparations by the different departments to the final stage and ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience.”
Prakash Mishra, Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister, said: “All preparations have been made. The last ritual to be held outside the temple is now over. We are now awaiting the arrival of the Lord tomorrow morning, and we hope that all the nitis will be conducted on time and the pulling of the chariots will begin as scheduled. All security arrangements have been made, and we have taken into account the shortcomings that occurred last year.”
A multi-layered security blueprint covering land, water, and air has been put in place. Around 12,000 to 13,000 police personnel, along with approximately 1,500 Central Armed Police Forces (including NSG, RAF, CRPF, and BSF commandos), will be deployed. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy are on alert with joint patrolling in the sea, while anti-drone measures, police drones, bomb squads, dog squads, and quick response teams are also in position. The state government has installed 473 CCTV cameras and 65 large LED screens for information dissemination in Odia, Hindi, and English, along with additional mobile towers.
Special focus has been placed on crowd control, traffic management, and preventing stampedes, with dynamic traffic arrangements, over 1,600 signages, and other facilities. Security vehicles are stationed near the temple for any contingency.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall warning for Puri, which already recorded 143.8 mm of rain in 24 hours on Wednesday. The district administration closed all schools, and special Special arrangements have been made to drain out rainwater from the Grand Road and facilitate a smooth procession. Pilgrims, particularly the elderly, children, and those with medical conditions, have been advised to remain alert and avoid prolonged exposure to rain and crowds.
Puri Collector said pumps were being used to drain out water.
The Indian Railways is running over 300 trains to Puri, while the state government has deployed around 800 buses to facilitate devotees’ travel.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and many ministers are also in Puri to monitor the conduct of the festival.
