Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting to assess preparations for the annual Rath Yatra in Puri and directed all departments to complete the remaining works by June 30 to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
The meeting, held at Lok Seva Bhavan, was attended by senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, Director General of Fire Services Dr. Sudhanshu Sarangi, senior government secretaries, police officers, and district administration officials from Puri.
Reviewing the progress of decisions taken during an earlier meeting in April, Garg emphasized the need for timely completion of all arrangements ahead of the Shree Gundicha Yatra, scheduled for July 16. She said regular reviews are being conducted to ensure that preparations are completed in a coordinated and efficient manner.
The SJTA informed the meeting that chariot construction is progressing as planned and that the required timber for all three chariots will reach Puri within the stipulated timeframe. Puri Collector Divyajyoti Parida and Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh presented detailed reports on the status of various preparatory works.
The Chief Secretary reviewed road improvement projects linking Puri and the Grand Road (Bada Danda), parking facilities, temporary sanitation infrastructure, drinking water supply, power arrangements, transport management, crowd control measures and law-and-order preparations. Necessary directions were issued to the concerned departments.
Officials informed the meeting that dedicated ambulance route maps have been prepared to facilitate emergency movement during the festival. Installation of high-mast lights along the Bada Danda is underway, while beautification works at the Shree Gundicha Temple and road development projects along the sea beach road are progressing.
The administration is also setting up bio-toilets and developing parking facilities at Samang to accommodate the large influx of devotees expected during the festival.
The Health Department has identified locations for additional temporary health centres equipped with beds, while the Works Department and Puri Municipal Corporation have earmarked and begun developing temporary parking zones.
The Puri district administration said phased encroachment removal drives along the Bada Danda are underway and will be completed within the prescribed timeline. Tender processes for installing 1,600 temporary toilets have been completed and the facilities will be operational ahead of the festival.
Officials further informed that desilting of major drains and connected drainage channels is in progress and expected to be completed shortly.
The meeting stressed inter-departmental coordination to ensure a safe, orderly and hassle-free Rath Yatra experience for lakhs of devotees expected to visit Puri during the annual festival.
