Puri, Odisha:
With the world-renowned Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath just weeks away, the Puri Police have kicked off a community engagement initiative aimed at ensuring a safe and smooth festival experience for lakhs of devotees expected to descend on the temple town.
Recognizing the scale and spiritual significance of the annual chariot festival, police officials have started outreach programs involving local residents, volunteers, shopkeepers, transport operators, and religious leaders to foster greater coordination and trust ahead of the mega event.
“Rath Yatra is not just a religious festival, it’s an emotional and cultural celebration for millions. Ensuring safety and smooth movement during this event is not the job of police alone—it’s a shared responsibility,” said Puri SP Pinak Mishra during a public interaction held earlier this week.
The engagement drive includes street-corner meetings, awareness campaigns, feedback sessions, and training programs for volunteers. The police are also leveraging social media to communicate guidelines, dos and don’ts, and traffic arrangements in multiple languages to reach a broader audience, including pilgrims from other states and abroad.
One of the major goals of the initiative is to involve the community in crowd management efforts and identify potential local-level challenges before the event. Several youth and citizen groups have been roped in to assist in crowd regulation, emergency response, and first-aid services during the Yatra.
“We’ve seen in previous years how local cooperation plays a vital role. This time, we are being proactive by listening to people’s concerns and preparing together,” said a senior officer involved in the planning.
Special focus is also being given to elderly pilgrims, children, and people with disabilities. Help desks, water booths, and shaded rest zones will be set up along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) with assistance from civil society groups.
The Rath Yatra, which sees the grand procession of the deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—on their majestic chariots, is scheduled to take place in early July this year. With community participation at the heart of this year’s planning, officials are optimistic about managing the festival with greater ease and efficiency.
“This festival belongs to all of us. When we work together, we not only ensure safety but also preserve the spirit of unity and devotion that Rath Yatra stands for,” SP Mishra added.
