Bhubaneswar: To facilitate the travel of lakhs of devotees expected to visit Puri during the Rath Yatra, East Coast Railway has made extensive operational, passenger amenity, security and crowd management arrangements to ensure a safe, smooth and comfortable journey for pilgrims throughout the festival period.
Extensive Special Train Services
East Coast Railway will operate number of Special Trains connecting Puri with important destinations across Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra to cater to the heavy passenger demand during Rath Yatra.
The Special Trains will provide connectivity from major stations including Rourkela, Biramitrapur, Bangiriposi, Junagarh Road, Badampahar, Boudh, Jagadalpur, Balasore, Angul, Gunupur, Rayagada, Paradeep, Bhadrak, Kendujhar, Daspalla, Khurda Road, Sambalpur, Talcher, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Dhenkanal, Barbil, Palasa, Visakhapatnam, Gondia and Santragachhi.
In addition to the notified services, East Coast Railway will continuously monitor passenger demand and travel patterns during the festival. Based on the rush of pilgrims and operational feasibility, additional Special Trains will also be planned and operated to meet the travel requirements, ensuring maximum convenience for devotees.
Large Pilgrim Holding Capacity
To manage the huge influx of passengers at Puri Railway Station, dedicated Pilgrim Waiting Areas and Mela Sheds with a combined holding capacity of nearly 30,000 persons have been created. These include covered seating arrangements, German Hangar sheds with air cooling facilities and shaded waiting areas for pilgrims.
Enhanced Passenger Amenities
Passenger facilities have been significantly strengthened with 129 modular toilets, 68 bathrooms, 65 drinking water booths, 10 cold drinking water points and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the station premises.
Three medical and first-aid centres supported by ambulances will remain available round the clock for emergency assistance. NGOs and Self Help Groups will also operate free food distribution centres for nearly 3.5 lakh pilgrims.
Special arrangements including battery operated vehicles and dedicated wheelchairs have been made for senior citizens and Divyangjan passengers.
To facilitate ticketing, 40 booking counters, 12 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), 32 Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System (MUTS) machines and additional ticket counters at 21 stations have been provided.
Comprehensive Security Arrangements
A robust security plan has been put in place with deployment of 758 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, 1,500 Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel and 100 Civil Defence, Scouts and Guides volunteers.
Security arrangements have been further strengthened through 250 CCTV cameras, four drones for aerial surveillance, ten sniffer dogs and three fire tenders, ensuring constant vigilance throughout the festival period.
Round-the-Clock Monitoring and Control
A dedicated War Room has been established for continuous monitoring of train operations, passenger movement and security arrangements during Rath Yatra. Senior Railway officials will monitor the situation round the clock through CCTV and drone surveillance and coordinate closely with operational, security and passenger amenity teams to ensure prompt response to any contingency.
Sanitation and Passenger Information
To maintain cleanliness throughout the festival, a 430-member sanitation workforce, supported by sewage suction vehicles, garbage disposal vehicles, industrial vacuum cleaners and jet cleaning machines, has been deployed.
For effective passenger communication, 15 LED video walls, 60 public announcement speakers and GPS clocks have been installed to provide real-time information regarding train movements and other important announcements.
Infrastructure Improvements at Puri Station
Several infrastructure enhancements have been completed at Puri Railway Station ahead of Rath Yatra. These include improved passenger circulation through the ground floor of the newly developed terminal building, addition of two floors to the Tourist Complex, better-organised holding areas and improved access management from the station approach road.
Appeal to Passengers
East Coast Railway appeal all devotees to travel safely by avoiding travel on footboards, buffers or train rooftops. Passengers are also advised not to accept food or beverages from strangers and to immediately report any unattended or suspicious baggage to Railway staff or security personnel.
Passengers are requested to verify train schedules and reservation status through official Railway channels before commencing their journey.
