BHUBANESHWAR, Feb 25: The Odisha government plans to set up CCTVs at 343 key locations, including the routes leading to Puri, to facilitate real-time oversight of traffic management, crowd control, crime prevention, and order maintenance during the annual Puri Car Festival.
A proposal has been submitted by the Police Administration for the CCTV installations, targeting areas such as Puri city, Badadanda, and Puri Beach, in anticipation of the impending Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu’s renowned Rath Yatra-2025.
This topic was examined in an initial preparatory meeting convened here on Tuesday, under the leadership of Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja.
Participating in the discussions were Additional Chief Secretary of the State Home Department Satyabrata Sahu, Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania, Puri District Collector, Superintendent of Police, along with other senior officials from the State Police Administration.
The focus of the meeting was on ensuring effective organization and facilities in light of the anticipated large turnout during the Rath Yatra.
Puri, being a significant religious and tourist hub, attracts a considerable influx of visitors year-round, particularly during the Rath Yatra. Crowds are often observed at Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri Badadanda, and Puri Beach, with substantial gatherings occurring at Sri Gundicha Temple during the festival.
The Police Administration has proposed the installation of CCTVs at 343 key locations, including roads leading to Puri, Puri city, Badadanda, and Puri Beach, to bolster real-time monitoring of traffic and crowd dynamics as well as to fortify crime prevention and law enforcement efforts.
The meeting also covered the infrastructure and technical prerequisites for the CCTV installations.
The Chief Secretary underscored the necessity for advanced infrastructure and technology to create a national-level CCTV network.
He instructed the Police Administration and Puri District Collector to devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the overall management of the Rath Yatra.
It was resolved that the Integrated Command and Control Center would supervise operations for the Rath Yatra-2025, with representatives from various departments stationed in the control room to manage their respective responsibilities.
The Puri District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police shared the measures implemented for crowd control during the 2024 Rath Yatra and recounted lessons learned from previous experiences.
This year’s festival schedule is as follows:
Devasnana Purnima June 11
Sri Gundicha Yatra (Rath Yatra) June 27
Bahuda Yatra July 5
Suna Vesha July 6
Furthermore, Satyabrata Sahu, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, noted that special emphasis would be placed on interdepartmental coordination to ensure seamless execution of events during the Rath Yatra.
Director General of Police, Y.B. Khurania, stressed the importance of early preparations, pointing out the increasing religious fervor and the expectation of a larger crowd compared to the previous year.
The meeting also explored vehicle management and parking logistics to enhance crowd flow and security measures.
(UNI)
