Total 115 platoons of armed police, 1,000 officers of various ranks, 2,000 Home Guards, two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and several tactical units would be deployed for smooth conduct of the annual Rath Yatra on June 29 here, said Inspector General Police (IGP) RP Koche and SP Anup Sahu on Thursday to the mediapersons.
Several teams of bomb detection and disposal units and SOG personnel would be pressed into service. This apart contingency plans have been chalked out for any emergency. Vessels and choppers of the Coast Guard would patrol the coast area. 300 trained Nolias (life guards) would be deployed along the beach to prevent drowning of pilgrims in sea, they informed.
CCTV cameras have already been installed at 21 locations along the Badadanda and other strategic places, while experienced police officers would monitor visuals from the Town police station control room. A number of police check posts would operate along the Puri–Bhubaneswar, Puri-Brahmagiri and Puri- Konark routes, informed IGP Koche.
DSP in-charge of traffic arrangements Gyanranjan Mahapatra presented the detailed planning of crowd control during the fete.
According to him, the Badadanda, venue of the fete, has been divided into 14 sectors and the pilgrim crowd would be diverted from the regular routes to other roads to lessen the load from the Singhadwar.
Heavy barricading would be put in place to prevent the crowd getting close to the Raths. One extra cordon rope would be added to the existing two to strengthen the security ring around the three Raths. 55 platoons of armed police would be deployed for the three Raths during the pulling.
One way route would be enforced during the Rath Yatra day, Bahuda (return Car Festival) and Sunavesh day. While all the vehicles would be allowed to enter the city through Puri- Bhubaneswar NH 203, they would be allowed to return through Puri-Konark-Pipili or via Niali routes, Koche informed. Earlier on the Wednesday, DGP Prakash Mihsra along with special DGP Sanjib Marik and other senior officers of the State police had assessed the arrangements.