Arrangements made for period from Gundicha Yatra to Suna Vesha
The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has arranged a total of 84 special trains for the ensuing annual car festival of lord Jagannath at Puri.
The special trains will be running on June 29 (Gundicha Yatra), July 6(Sandhya Darshan), July 7 (Bahuda Yatra) and July 8 (Suna Vesha). This is in addition to about 25 pairs of regular train services, said a Press release issued by the ECoR.
As per the schedule the Bhubaneswar-Bangiriposi-Bhubaneswar Express would be extended up to Puri from June 29 to July 9 and will arrive at Puri at 12.20 pm from Bangirposi and leave Puri at 14.25 pm for Bangriposi.
A large number of extra coaches will be put into service in order to run these special trains. Elaborate arrangements have been made for cleaning and watering of trains for ensuring pleasant and comfortable journey.
In order to handle large number of pilgrims, 35 additional ticket counters will be opened at Puri Railway Station while one ticket counter will be opened at Bagala Dharmasala.
Similarly, in order to handle the additional rush of pilgrims at other stations, additional booking counters will be opened at peak hours at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and seven other places while three additional enquiry counters will be opened at Puri Railway Station in addition to one regular counter. These counters will be strategically located in the circulating area and near the temporary entry point at the extreme end of platform No.1A.
Three passenger help desks will be set up near the buffer ends of platforms in order to guide the passengers while passengers can also enquire about the train running information by dialling 06752-226717, 232518 and 232519.
Passengers can also contact on telephone number 06752-232504 for medical assistance and 06752-232304 (RPF) and 232303 (GRP) for security assistance, they can contact.
The release stated that twenty train timetable boards will be put up at strategic locations at Puri Railway Station and other important locations in Puri town, such, as Singhdwar and Bagala Dharmasala while twelve train indication boards, indicating the schedule of trains along with platform departure will be functioning in Mela Shed and other locations at the Puri Railway Station.
As a large number of devotees are expected to arrive at the Puri railway station from various locations a temporary Mela shed, covering an area of 1800 sqm, will be opened at the Puri railway station in order to provide them with resting and toilet/ bathing facility. It can accommodate around 4000 passengers at a time.
Arrangements are being made for selling of tea, snacks, water bottles and lunch. Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure drinking water, the release stated.
To ensure sanitation more than 100 supervisors and staff will be deputed round the clock for ensuring proper cleanliness and sanitation in the station premises including the Mela shed and the circulating area.
For medical assistance to the passengers medical assistance booth will be functioning in the circulating area of the Puri Railway Station round the clock which will be manned by five doctors and 30 nurses and other para medical staff and will have ambulance service as well.
For ensuring non-stop functioning of lights, fans, electric equipment and other passenger amenity services a100 KVA and two 63 KVA Generator Power Cars are being pressed into service in addition to one sanitary generator of 250 KVA at the station.
Considering the heavy flow of road traffic through Talabania lC gate, additional manpower including GRP personnel, will be deployed at the Talabania lC Gate in order to ensure trouble free movement of train services and road vehicles.
Over 640 railway staff and supervisors of operating, commercial, mechanical, electrical, S&T, engineering and medical departments from station other than Puri would be assisting the railway staff available at Puri.
Around 500 security personnel and sniffer dogs and GRP, consisting of about 750 officers and jawans would be mobilised for round-the-clock deployment at the station. They would be assisted by 300 home guards while 25 fire extinguishers have been made available at strategic locations.
As many as 24 CCTV cameras will be installed covering the entire length and breadth of Puri railway station in order.