Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police has made elaborate security arrangements in the State Capital city today in view of Mahashivratri. As many as 34 platoons of forces have been deployed at various sensitive points across the city. Over 100 officers including ACPs, additional DCP rank officers are monitoring the security system, DCP Umashankar Dash said.
At Lingaraj Temple, devotees are cooperating with police with all covid-19 protocols. The temple rituals are being performed smoothly with better coordination between temple management and servitors, he added.
"Special parking lots have been set up for the devotees. We have made some changes in vehicular traffic for the smooth communication," the DCP said.
Devotees are allowed to light diya (earthen lamps). The number of devotees is expected to rise during evening hour so, lighting of diya may be restricted when crowd gets heavy, said Abanikant Patnaik, additional Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Devotees have been allowed to have darshan inside the temple amid strict adherence to Covid guidelines. However, entry of elderly people and children into the shrine has been restricted, he added.
As per the scheduled fixed by the temple management, the Mahadeep of Lord Lingaraj will be raised atop the temple at 10.00 PM.