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| File picture of security personnel during rath yatra last year |
Bhubaneswar, June 28: Puri would be under a security blanket during the nine-day car festival scheduled to begin on July 3. “The whole town will be remain under surveillance,” said a senior police officer.
Speaking to reporters, superintendent of police (SP), Puri, A.N. Sinha, said: “Security has been tightened for the upcoming rath yatra. The entire Grand Road will be divided into different sectors. A senior police officer will be in charge of each sector.”
In order to prevent any untoward incident and to keep a vigil on the movement of suspicious elements, the entire Grand Road will be under the surveillance of close-circuit cameras. A dedicated modern control room would be set up on the rooftop of the Town police station.
It was also decided that no outsider would be allowed to climb on the three chariots during the journey. “The Jagannath Temple Police will keep a watch on those who are riding on the chariots,” said Sinha.
Puri police would deploy a bomb disposal squad, two Rapid Action Force squad and a sniffer dog squad during the festival. “The sniffer dogs will be deployed at strategic locations including near the railway station,” said the SP.
The Puri police has also decided to train various forces coming for the rath yatra on how to deal with the devotees. “They will be asked to behave properly with each devotee,” said the official.
Police control room (PCR) vans would patrol round the clock in the town. The movement of the vehicles coming to Puri would be regulated. “Traffic management, crowd control and checking of crimes will be our top concern,” said SP Sinha.
In order to avoid deaths due to drowning off the Puri coast, Sinha said: “Nearly 100 nolia (marine fishermen) would be engaged as lifeguards near the beach. They will be trained on how to rescue the drowning tourists from the sea.”
The flow of traffic will be regulated from July 2 to July 4 and from July 10 afternoon to July 13.
“A detailed traffic route chart has been prepared and will be well circulated so that the people do not face any traffic problem,” said the SP.