Rath Yatra 2019: East Coast Railways To Run 194 Special Trains To Puri

Bhubaneswar: Keeping in view the rise in inflow of devotees to Puri during the forthcoming annual sojourn of Lord Jagannath and His siblings, the Khurda Road Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) has decided to run 194 special trains apart from the regular trains, to the pilgrim city between July 4 (Car Festival) and July 13 (Suna Besa). This was informed by ECoR Khurda Road DRM Sashikant Singh on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media persons, Singh informed that ECoR will run 30 special trains on July 4 and 48 special trains between July 5 and July 9. Likewise, it will run 10 trains on July 10, 30 trains on July 12 (Bahuda Yatra) and 28 trains on July 13 (Suna Besa).

As many as 48 special trains will ply between Nayagarh and Khurda during the annual Car festival, he added.

The DRM further informed that ECoR will open 60 extra ticket counters to facilitate people to buy tickets without any hassle.

The ECoR has also made elaborate security arrangements for smooth and safe travel of the devotees during the two-week-long festival. “Total 550 officers and staff, one company of Railway Protection Special Force, 550 GRP personnel will be deployed. Besides, one luggage scanning machine, 73 CCTVs, two door frame metal detectors, 44 hand-held metal detectors will be used to put a check on possible crime incidents,” said ECoR Khurda Road Division Additional Railway Security Commissioner, Barun Kumar Behera.

“As many as 73 CCTV cameras will be installed at Puri railway station, 38 in Bhubaneswar and 31 at Cuttack railway station, respectively. Besides, two drone cameras and five sniffer dog squads will also be deployed,” he added.

A nine-member women Durga Vahini member of the RPF will also be positioned for the safety of the passengers, said sources.