BHUBANESHWAR, Feb 25: The Odisha government will install CCTVs at 343 major locations, including roads connecting to Puri, for real-time monitoring of traffic management, crowd control, crime prevention, and law and order maintenance during the annual Puri Car Festival.
A proposal has been made by the Police Administration to install CCTVs at these locations, including Puri city, Badadanda, and Puri Beach, in preparation for the upcoming Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu’s famous Rath Yatra-2025.
This matter was discussed in an initial preparatory meeting held here on Tuesday, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja.
Additional Chief Secretary of the State Home Department Satyabrata Sahu, Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania, Puri District Collector, Superintendent of Police, and other senior officers of the State Police Administration were present and participated in the discussions.
The meeting focused on ensuring proper management and facilities, particularly in view of the expected large crowds during the Rath Yatra.
Since Puri is a major religious and tourist destination, a significant number of people visit throughout the year, especially during the Rath Yatra. Crowds are regularly seen at Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri Badadanda, and Puri Beach. Heavy gatherings also occur at Sri Gundicha Temple during the festival.
To enhance real-time monitoring of traffic and crowd control, as well as to strengthen crime prevention and law and order maintenance, the Police Administration has proposed installing CCTVs at 343 major locations, including roads connecting to Puri, Puri city, Badadanda, and Puri Beach and various key locations.
The meeting also discussed the infrastructure and technical requirements for CCTV installation.
The Chief Secretary emphasized the need for advanced infrastructure and technology to develop a national-level CCTV system.
He directed the Police Administration and Puri District Collector to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) for the overall management of the Rath Yatra.
It was decided that the Integrated Command and Control Center will oversee operations for the Rath Yatra-2025. Officers from various departments will be stationed in the control room to manage department-related tasks.
The Puri District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police presented the steps taken for crowd control during the 2024 Rath Yatra and shared insights from past experiences.
This year, the festival schedule is as follows:
Devasnana Purnima June 11
Sri Gundicha Yatra (Rath Yatra) June 27
Bahuda Yatra July 5
Suna Vesha July 6
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Satyabrata Sahu, stated that special attention will be given to interdepartmental coordination to ensure the smooth execution of events during the Rath Yatra.
Director General of Police, Y.B. Khurania, highlighted the importance of early preparations, citing the increasing religious sentiments and expectations of a larger crowd than last year.
The meeting also addressed vehicle management and parking arrangements to facilitate better crowd movement and security.
(UNI)
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