Bhubaneswar: With barely a month left for Rath Yatra in Puri, the state government has issued a firm directive to Odisha police to “avoid skeletal deployment” and ensure a strong presence of forces throughout the festive period from July 16 to 27.
“The government has instructed the police to avoid skeletal deployment during the festival and draw up a comprehensive evacuation plan,” a senior government official said.
The order comes in the shadow of last year’s stampede on June 29 — the third day of the festival — when three devotees died in front of the chariots outside Gundicha Temple.
Officials have indicated that inadequate deployment and lack of crowd control measures had contributed to last year’s tragedy.
“Instead of skeletal deployment, there shall be continuous and adequate police presence at Gundicha temple and other crowded locations throughout the festival period — starting Rath Yatra on July 16, Bahuda Yatra on July 24, Suna Besha on July 25 and Niladri Bije on July 27 — to prevent any untoward incidents or accidents,” the government order states.
A senior police officer explained the significance: “Last year, after Rath Yatra day, deployment became thin. On June 29, when devotees surged into Gundicha temple early in the morning, the lack of sufficient personnel led to chaos and a stampede. This time, the government has made it clear — deployment must remain strong every single day until the deities return to the sanctum sanctorum.”
The directive also mandates that a comprehensive evacuation plan be drawn up by Puri police in consultation with the district administration. “Additional police personnel shall be deployed in densely populated and congested areas. If required, extra barricading will be provided by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration to regulate crowd movement and prevent congestion on the chariot path,” the order added.
Preparations also include a second round of eviction drive in the first week of July along Grand Road to ensure uninterrupted movement of the massive chariots. The halting point at Gundicha temple will be enlarged to create more space for devotees and facilitate smoother crowd dispersal.
Safety measures extend beyond crowd control. Like previous years, the entry of diya vendors to the Grand Road and near the chariots will be restricted to minimise fire hazards. “Every aspect — from barricading to vendor restrictions — is being reviewed to ensure public safety,” the official said.
