With the New Year approaching, Puri is witnessing a steady rise in the influx of devotees, leading to long queues outside the Srimandir for darshan of Lord Jagannath. The footfall has been increasing day by day, prompting the administration to intensify crowd management and security arrangements across the pilgrim town.

Officials anticipate a further surge in devotees on December 31 and January 1, traditionally marking peak pilgrimage days.

Crowd management measures in place

To regulate the movement of devotees and prevent overcrowding, barricading arrangements have reportedly been put in place from Srinar to Bagala Dharmashala. These measures are aimed at streamlining entry routes leading to the Srimandir and ensuring smooth crowd flow during peak hours.

Devotees are being allowed entry into the temple in batches to maintain order and minimise congestion within the temple premises.

Enhanced security deployment

Security has been significantly tightened across Puri, from the Srimandir to the sea beach area. As part of the New Year arrangements, 25 platoons of police force, along with adequate officers, will be deployed to maintain law and order and manage the expected rush.

Police personnel have been stationed at key locations to monitor crowd movement, assist devotees, and respond swiftly to any situation.

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Heavy footfall continues

According to reports, thousands of devotees are arriving in Puri daily to have darshan of the Sibling Deities. On Friday morning, large numbers of pilgrims were seen standing in long queues from the early hours, patiently waiting for their turn to enter the Srimandir.