A high-level meeting on preparations for the upcoming Rath Yatra was held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Friday under the chairmanship of the state Law Minister, Prithiviraj Harichandan with focus on ensuring the smooth and disciplined conduct of the annual festival in Puri.

The important meeting was held at the State Guest House ahead of the world-famous Rath Yatra, which draws lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad every year.

Senior officials and servitors attending meeting

Puri Collector, SP, senior officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and servitor representatives attended the meeting.

Sources said discussions on coordination among various departments, administrative officials and servitors to ensure smooth conduct of rituals and festival-related arrangements was held during the meeting.

The meeting focused on maintaining peace, discipline and proper management during the Rath Yatra and associated rituals.

Crowd management and security under discussion

According to sources, officials deliberated on crowd management, traffic regulation, security deployment and emergency response measures considering the massive turnout of devotees expected during the festival.

Arrangements related to drinking water, sanitation, health services, fire safety and other civic facilities in Puri was also reviewed during the discussion.

Special emphasis is reportedly being given to coordination between police, district administration, temple administration and servitor groups to avoid any confusion during rituals and chariot-related proceedings.

Meeting ahead of CM’s review in Puri

The meeting assumes significance as it was held ahead of Chief Minister Mohan Majhi’s review of Rath Yatra preparations in Puri.

Before the Chief Minister’s review, the Law Minister is discussing preparedness and coordination issues with servitors and officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration.

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Preparations for the annual Rath Yatra are expected to intensify further in the coming days as departments begin implementing the arrangements being discussed in the meeting.