Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday directed officials to ensure that there is no compromise on law and order and security arrangements during the upcoming Bahuda Yatra of Lord Jagannath on July 24, while stressing the need for scientific crowd management and real-time information sharing to ensure the safety of devotees.
Reviewing the preparations at Lok Seva Bhawan, the Chief Minister advised officials to place greater emphasis on crowd management and seamless information flow. He also appealed to devotees visiting Puri to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the administration and the police to facilitate the smooth conduct of the festival.
According to officials, all rituals associated with the annual Rath Yatra have so far been conducted smoothly despite continuous rainfall, adverse weather conditions and humid weather. The Chief Minister appreciated the dedication of servitors, officials and employees for ensuring the successful conduct of the festival and thanked them for their teamwork and commitment in serving Lord Jagannath and the devotees.
Majhi noted that the district administration and police have remained on high alert throughout the festival and have closely monitored key events such as Pahandi, chariot pulling, Dakshini Moda and Adapa Mandap darshan. Senior officers have remained present on the ground to supervise the arrangements at every stage, he said.
During the review meeting, the Chief Minister suggested that information generated through CCTV surveillance should be integrated with the Integrated Command and Control Centre and shared instantly with field officials so that congestion and other issues can be addressed without delay.
With Bahuda Yatra, Suna Besha and Niladri Bije still to be held, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that all remaining rituals are conducted smoothly and without disruption.
Expressing grief over the deaths of two devotees due to health-related issues during this year’s Rath Yatra, Majhi conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He noted that the state government had already announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the families of the deceased devotees.
During the meeting, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee briefed the Chief Minister on the overall management of the Rath Yatra. Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, Director General of Fire Services Sudhanshu Sarangi and Additional Director General of Police (Modernisation) Soumendra Priyadarshi also presented details of the security and policing arrangements for the remaining phases of the festival.
The review meeting was attended by Law and Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Chief Minister’s Advisor Prakash Mishra, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner D.K. Singh and other senior officials, who discussed preparations for Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha.
