Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has deployed 13 senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officers to Puri on special duty to assist the district administration in the smooth management of the world-famous Rath Yatra 2026.
According to an office order issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department on Wednesday, the officers have been assigned as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) in continuation of an earlier order dated June 17.
The officers will remain deployed in Puri from June 25 to July 27 and will assist the district administration in coordinating various aspects of the annual chariot festival, which draws lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad.
The order directed all the officers concerned to report before the Collector and District Magistrate, Puri, on June 25 for further instructions.
Among those deputed are senior OAS officers holding key positions in different departments and organisations, including Housing and Urban Development, Sports and Youth Services, Excise, Tourism, Odisha State Seeds Corporation, IDCO, Zilla Parishads and the Office of the Commissioner of Endowments.
The deployment is part of the state government’s extensive administrative arrangements for Rath Yatra 2026, aimed at ensuring effective crowd management, coordination among departments and smooth conduct of the festival.
