(Left) Rath to be used at Puri Jagannath Yatra (Right) Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi reviews Rath Yatra preparations at Lok Seva Bhawan on July 10, 2026
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on July 10 chaired a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to assess the final preparations for the upcoming world-famous Puri Rath Yatra, scheduled to witness the arrival of lakhs of devotees from across the country.
The Chief Minister emphasised close coordination, cooperation and uninterrupted communication among all departments involved in the management of the grand festival. He directed officials to ensure a smooth, disciplined and safe conduct of the annual event through effective planning and coordinated execution.
This was the Chief Minister’s second comprehensive review of the Rath Yatra preparations. Earlier, Majhi had reviewed the arrangements during his visit to Puri on July 6.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed various aspects of the festival, including timely completion of rituals, security of the three chariots and devotees, crowd management, traffic regulation, emergency response mechanisms and fire safety arrangements.
Majhi stressed that the Rath Yatra should be conducted in a well-organised manner under the supervision of experienced and competent officers. He instructed officials to maintain strict adherence to the prescribed schedule of rituals and ensure that all arrangements remain effective throughout the festival period.
Reiterating the importance of coordination, the Chief Minister directed senior officials to establish a strong communication mechanism at every level. He said continuous information-sharing among departments would help in taking timely decisions and responding efficiently to any emergency situation.
Officials were instructed to ensure that there was no communication gap during the festival management process.
The state government has put in place a massive security framework for the festival, with around 12,000 personnel from Odisha Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) being deployed to maintain law and order.
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy will remain on alert as part of the security preparedness. To supervise the overall security arrangements, 19 senior IPS officers have been assigned specific responsibilities.
The Chief Minister also reviewed arrangements related to cordon management, women’s safety, surveillance of suspicious persons and drug abusers, traffic control, emergency evacuation and weather-related preparedness.
He directed officials to make the entire system completely foolproof to ensure the safety of devotees.
For the first time, multiple evacuation corridors have been earmarked to facilitate the quick movement of devotees during emergencies and strengthen crowd management.
Officials informed that nearly 30 dedicated evacuation corridors have been planned as emergency routes. These corridors will remain clear and accessible to allow swift movement of devotees, police personnel and emergency response teams whenever required.
The initiative has been planned as a precautionary measure following the crowd-related incident during last year’s Rath Yatra, which highlighted the need for stronger emergency evacuation mechanisms.
A unified Integrated Command and Control Centre has also been established to monitor security operations, crowd movement and emergency response measures across key locations.
To enhance security monitoring and provide timely information to devotees, the administration has installed 473 CCTV cameras across Puri.
Besides surveillance, 65 large LED screens have been installed at important locations to display announcements and advisories in Odia, Hindi and English for the convenience of pilgrims.
To ensure uninterrupted mobile connectivity during the festival, authorities have arranged 16 permanent telecom towers along with several temporary towers. A bulk messaging system has also been introduced to send important updates and advisories directly to devotees.
The Chief Minister directed officials to make special provisions for elderly devotees and persons with disabilities visiting the Gundicha Temple.
Officials informed that dedicated help desks will be established at the temple to assist senior citizens, differently-abled devotees and other pilgrims in getting smooth and hassle-free darshan.
The administration has also assigned officers for every major responsibility related to Rath Yatra management to ensure accountability and efficient execution.
Keeping in view the large gathering of devotees, the government has made extensive arrangements for sanitation and healthcare facilities.
A total of 1,700 bio-toilets have been installed exclusively for the Rath Yatra. To maintain cleanliness, one volunteer has been assigned responsibility for every five toilets.
Additionally, eight temporary hospitals have been established to provide immediate medical assistance to devotees in case of health emergencies.
Parking facilities and high-mast lighting arrangements have also been strengthened along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) and other important areas.
With more than 300 trains expected to operate to and from Puri during the Rath Yatra, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure proper coordination with railway authorities.
He instructed officials to provide timely information to passengers based on train schedules and strengthen crowd management arrangements at railway stations and other entry points.
Traffic regulation plans have also been reviewed to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians during the festival.
Meanwhile, the construction work of the three sacred chariots for the Shree Gundicha Yatra is progressing rapidly and has reached its final stage.
The traditional process of constructing the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra continues with deep spiritual significance. The painting work of the horses attached to the three chariots by artist-servitors has reached its concluding stage.
As part of the final preparations, the Parshwa Devatas (subsidiary deities) have been installed on all three chariots, marking another important milestone in the completion of the divine chariot-making process.
During the review meeting, Shree Jagannath Temple Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Padhee and Additional Director General of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi presented detailed reports on the overall preparations.
The meeting was attended by Works and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Chief Minister’s Adviser Prakash Mishra, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner DK Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information & Public Relations) Hemant Sharma, Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, Director General of Fire Services Dr Sudhanshu Sarangi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Shashwat Mishra, senior officials from various departments, police officers, Puri Collector and Superintendent of Police.
With extensive arrangements covering security, healthcare, sanitation, technology, transportation and emergency response, the Odisha government has geared up to ensure a safe, smooth and spiritually enriching Rath Yatra experience for millions of devotees.
