Odisha Steps Up Civic Preparations in Puri Ahead of Rath Yatra

Puri: With the annual Rath Yatra expected to draw lakhs of devotees from across the country, the Odisha Government on Friday reviewed civic preparedness in Puri and directed officials to ensure seamless sanitation, public health services, traffic management and emergency response throughout the festival.

The directions were issued by Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, during a high-level review meeting at the Circuit House in Puri to assess the preparedness of the Urban Development Department and Puri Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Emphasising that the smooth conduct of Rath Yatra depends significantly on efficient urban services, Padhee said the department has a crucial responsibility in providing devotees with a safe, clean and hassle-free experience. She expressed confidence that coordinated efforts among all agencies would ensure the successful management of the world-famous festival.

Reviewing the arrangements, she instructed officials to accord top priority to sanitation, public health, public toilets, parking facilities, street lighting and other essential civic services. She also stressed the need for round-the-clock monitoring and quick response teams to address any emergency during the festival.

Officials informed the meeting that all major drains across Puri have been desilted ahead of the festival, while side drains along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) have been cleaned with the support of the Jagrani Welfare Organisation. Road repair and pothole restoration works have also been completed to facilitate smooth movement of devotees and vehicles.

To tackle possible waterlogging during monsoon showers, authorities have identified 30 vulnerable locations and deployed high-capacity pump sets for rapid dewatering. Besides, 24 designated parking areas have been earmarked for vehicles, while special drives are being conducted to control stray cattle and strengthen civic enforcement across the city.

Puri Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sneha Arugula presented a detailed status report on the preparations, stating that sanitation remains the top priority. She said awareness campaigns are being carried out and strict action, including penalties, will be imposed on those violating cleanliness norms during the festival.

To maintain hygiene and improve waste management, the meeting decided that only dry food would be allowed to be distributed during Rath Yatra, while the distribution of cooked food on the Grand Road will not be permitted. Authorities will also install information boards and directional signages across the city to help devotees locate food distribution centres, drinking water points, medical facilities and other public amenities.

Padhee appreciated the efforts of the Puri Municipal Corporation and its officials for the preparations undertaken so far and called upon all departments to continue working in close coordination to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.

The meeting was attended by Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department Vinay Kumar Das, Additional Secretary Subhananda Mohapatra, Puri-Konark Development Authority Secretary Dilip Kumar Maharana, Puri Municipal Corporation Joint Secretary Abhimanyu Behera, and other senior officials.