Rath Yatra chariot designs to be computerized: SJTA

Puri: In a bid to ensure glitch-free construction of three chariots ahead of world famous Rath Yatra, the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to prepare a special computerised three dimensional blue print for chariot design.

Ground work for three-dimensional chariot design preparations began with measurement of Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalana undertaken by a senior engineer of the Works department in presence of a special committee.

Sources said measurement of wheels, axle and other necessary data of chariots will be fed onto the computer and drawing of 3D designs will be prepared prior to the actual construction.

Niroj Das, executive engineer of the Works department said, “The measurements have been taken for documentation purpose. As new designing tools such as Autocad are available, designing of chariots can be prepared accurately and in a scientific manner.”

Sudarsan Mekap, a SJTA official, stated, “This year Nandighosa and Darpadalana chariots had some issues, which is why we have decided to take a measurement and find out what went wrong where.”

Mekap further said the measurement exercise is being done to ensure issues like this year do not recur in future.

Reacting to the development, servitor Krsuhna Chandra Moharana said, “We are least bothered if the SJTA takes record of chariot measurement. If they (SJTA) think we are wrong, let them do it their way.”