PURI: Director General of Police (DGP), Sanjib Marik on Thursday asked the line departments in Puri to complete all infrastructure works related to the ensuing Rath Yatra by June 15 so that security arrangements can be put in place.
Marik was here to review the security arrangements for the grand festival and inaugurate the website of Puri Police (www.puripolice.nic.in).
Addressing mediapersons, the DGP said a five layer security ring will be thrown around the Jagannath temple, Gundicha temple and Puri town. Although he did not specify the number of security personnel to be deployed during the fete, Marik said anti-sabotage teams will also be roped in to thwart any untoward incident.
The Odisha Police Housing Corporation has already started installing 190 close circuit cameras (CCTVs) across the town to monitor crowd movement.
While CCTVs are also being installed inside the Jagannath temple complex, hoteliers and lodge owners have been asked to install them in their properties to keep an eye on tourists’ movement. Baggage scanners will be installed at Atharnullah, Mangala Ghat and Balighat - the three entry points to the town, while two scanners would be installed at two gates of the Jagannath temple, besides one at the Puri railway station.
The DGP added that the Coast Guard personnel and officers of Marine police stations will patrol the Puri beach in speed boats and aerial surveillance will also be conducted.
As many as 300 lifeguards would be deployed along Puri beach from Chakratirtha Road to Swargadwara to prevent incidents of drowning in the sea. Besides, 14 watch towers would be erected for surveillance.
The Grand Road - venue of the Rath Yatra and Bahuda Yatra - would be declared a no-flying zone and three air ambulances will be stationed at the Talabania helipad for emergency cases, Marik said. An additional helipad would come up prior to the fete at Baliapanda for arrival and departure of VVIPs. A control room would be set up at Town police station to oversee security and crowd movement within the town.
Later in the afternoon, the DGP inaugurated the new building of Baseli Sahi police station, an officers’ hostel, two police barracks, a barrack for female constables in the reserve line police grounds and the SDPO office. Marik also inspected the ongoing works on 35 new parking lots in and around the town and the road intersections along the NH-203 on way to Puri.
Car Festival Meet
Noisy scenes were witnessed at the first coordination committee meeting on the Rath Yatra on Wednesday.
Puri MLA and chairman of Nabakalebara infrastructure supervision committee Maheswar Mohanty expressed concern at the slow pace of infrastructure work. While all the line departments had assured to complete infrastructure works for Nabakalebara by May 25, the projects are moving at snail’s pace.
Attended by officials of all line departments, Jagannath temple priests, members of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration and district authorities, the committee discussed supply of uninterrupted power, potable drinking water during the fete and laying of drains in the town. Members of the committee resented the delay in laying of pipelines and renovation of the District Headquarters Hospital, which is suffering from doctors’ shortage. Officials of the Public Works Department informed that construction of the bus stand at Puri would be over by June 15.
Special Trains
The East Coast Railways (ECoR) would ply 200 special trains to Puri during the Rath Yatra. The ongoing work for doubling of railway tracks would be completed soon, informed the railway authorities. Besides, a permanent rest shed for pilgrims, coming up near the Puri railway station at the cost of `10 crore, is nearing completion.
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