Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg chaired the third high-level review meeting on preparations for the upcoming Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026 at the Conference Hall of Lok Seva Bhawan this evening.
The meeting reviewed the implementation status of decisions from the previous two meetings held on January 13 and February 17, 2026, and issued necessary directions to accelerate progress.
Senior officials in attendance included Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma, Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and Additional Chief Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, Director General of Fire Services Dr Sudhanshu Sarangi, and Additional Chief Secretary (Housing & Urban Development) Usha Padhee, and principal secretaries/commissioners from departments such as Works, Electronics & IT, Law, Commerce & Transport, Health & Family Welfare, among others. Representatives from railway authorities were also present. Puri District Collector Dibyajyoti Parida and Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh presented updates on local preparations.
The Chief Secretary directed departments to expedite pending works, including ongoing projects in Puri city and surrounding roads, to be completed well before the yatra. Emphasis was placed on the timely completion of rituals and chariot construction, with the rath wood cutting (chhera pahandi) ceremony set to begin on March 27, 2026, coinciding with Sri Ram Navami.
Key decisions and preparations highlighted include:
- Establishment of 8 temporary medical aid centres along both sides of Puri’s Bada Danda (Grand Road) during the yatra, staffed with emergency specialists.
- Streamlined ambulance services: Ambulances will operate on designated sides to avoid cross-movement through crowds, reducing delays. Separate ambulances will also be available from the district headquarters and IDH, Puri, for movement in various directions.
- Enhanced sanitation, mobile toilet facilities, and a dedicated committee for water drainage management during heavy rainfall.
- Infrastructure upgrades: Road improvements, electrification, special railway passenger facilities, crowd control, traffic management, additional parking arrangements, an integrated command and control centre, and expanded CCTV coverage.
- Improved mobile network in Puri, fire services, emergency response, volunteer deployment with training, temporary shelters for police personnel, and other necessities.
- Deployment of 70 LED TV screens at key locations by the Information & Public Relations Department for real-time updates on yatra, rituals, crowd control, and related information.
The meeting underscored coordinated efforts across departments to ensure devotee safety, smooth chariot pulling, and overall seamless conduct of the world-famous festival.
