Puri chariot construction issue: ‘Jagannath Bana Prakalpa’ to be reinvigorated 

If everything goes according to plan, the apprehension of chariot construction being affected due to timber shortage would no longer haunt devotees, servitors and administrators. The most ambitious ‘Shree Jagannath Bana Prakalpa’,  which has been in limbo, would soon be revived. 

A decision in this regard was taken at the first coordination committee meeting held at Puri, ahead of famous rath yatra. 

It was decided at the meeting that a meeting would be fixed with the divisional forest officer (DFO) after the car festival. 

“The Collector said he would take initiative to ensure the revival of the project. In the next meeting, the progress achieved by then would be discussed,” informed secretary of Daitapati Nijog, Ramkrushna Das Mohapatra. 

The meeting also discussed health, drinking water, drainage, uninterrupted power supply, visitors communication and law and order situation in the pilgrim city during the period starting from Snana Purnima to Niladree Bije. 

The Works department has been directed to repair the 63-kilometre-long road before June 20. 

IG police, Central Range, Narasingha Bhol said 29 spots have been identified as parking spots. “On Snana Purnima day, apart from 200 DSPs and 50 ASPs, 65 platoons of police force will be deployed to maintain law and order situation. Before car festival, CCTV cameras would be installed along the Grand Road and the service roads connecting to it,” Bhol said. 

“The superintendent of police has already made a preliminary assessment regarding the requirement of forces for ensuring a mishap-free rath yatra. With consultation with the State police headquarters, we have already prepared a list of those police officers who have long experience of handling rath yatra,” he added. 

Informing about the key notes of the meeting, Central Division Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) , Suresh Chandra Dalai said, “All the aspects relating to the car festival are discussed in the meeting. Officers and members took part in the meeting and shared their valuable opinions and suggestions .”