ECoR gears up for Rath Yatra with special trains, enhanced security and passenger facilities

Bhubaneswar: Anticipating the arrival of lakhs of devotees for the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has put in place elaborate arrangements, including special train services, enhanced security measures, improved passenger amenities and crowd management plans, to ensure a safe and hassle-free journey for pilgrims.

As part of the festival preparations, ECoR will operate several special trains connecting Puri with key destinations in Odisha as well as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The services will provide connectivity from major stations such as Rourkela, Sambalpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Brahmapur, Angul, Rayagada, Paradeep, Balasore, Kendujhar, Visakhapatnam, Gondia and Santragachhi, among others. Railway officials said additional special trains would be introduced, if required, based on passenger demand and operational feasibility.

To handle the surge in passenger traffic at Puri Railway Station, dedicated pilgrim waiting areas and mela sheds with a combined holding capacity of nearly 30,000 people have been created. The facilities include covered seating arrangements, German hangar sheds with air-cooling systems and shaded waiting spaces.

Passenger amenities have also been significantly strengthened. The station has been equipped with 129 modular toilets, 68 bathrooms, 65 drinking water booths, 10 cold drinking water points and Wi-Fi connectivity. Three medical and first-aid centres supported by ambulances will remain operational round the clock. NGOs and Self-Help Groups will distribute free food to nearly 3.5 lakh pilgrims during the festival. Battery-operated vehicles and wheelchairs have also been arranged for senior citizens and Divyang passengers.

To facilitate ticketing, the Railways has provided 40 booking counters, 12 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), 32 Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System (MUTS) machines, besides setting up additional ticket counters at 21 stations.

A comprehensive security plan has been put in place with the deployment of 758 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, 1,500 Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel and 100 Civil Defence, Scouts and Guides volunteers. Surveillance has been strengthened through 250 CCTV cameras, four drones, 10 sniffer dogs and three fire tenders.

A dedicated War Room has been established for round-the-clock monitoring of train operations, passenger movement and security arrangements. Senior railway officials will oversee operations through CCTV and drone surveillance and coordinate with operational and security teams to ensure prompt response to any emergency.

To maintain cleanliness during the festival, ECoR has deployed a 430-member sanitation workforce, supported by sewage suction vehicles, garbage disposal vehicles, industrial vacuum cleaners and jet cleaning machines. Passenger information will be disseminated through 15 LED video walls, 60 public announcement speakers and GPS-enabled clocks displaying real-time train updates.

The Railways has also completed several infrastructure improvements at Puri Railway Station, including enhanced passenger circulation through the newly developed terminal building, expansion of the Tourist Complex, improved holding areas and better access management from the station approach road.

Appealing to devotees to travel responsibly, East Coast Railway urged passengers to avoid travelling on footboards, buffers or train rooftops, refrain from accepting food or beverages from strangers, report any unattended baggage to railway authorities and verify train schedules through official railway platforms before commencing their journey.