Puri sees surge in devotees ahead of New Year; 60 platoons to be deployed

Ahead of the New Year, the influx of devotees to Puri has increased significantly. Long queues of pilgrims are being witnessed as devotees throng the Srimandir to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath. 

In anticipation of the rush, the temple administration has made extensive arrangements to ensure smooth movement and the safety of devotees.

To manage the rush, barricades have been set up from Shrinara to Bagala Dharamshala. In view of the expected heavy turnout on December 31 and January 1, special attention has been given to crowd management and security arrangements. 

As per sources, a single-queue system will be implemented for darshan at the temple on those days. Devotees will be allowed to enter through the Singhadwara (Lion’s Gate), while exit arrangements have been made through the other three gates of the temple.

Puri SP Prateek Singh said, "Lakhs of devotees visit Puri during the New Year to have darshan of Lord Jagannath. All kinds of security arrangements have been made by Puri police for the smooth darshan of the devotees. We have held discussions with all the departments of the administration for the convenience of the devotees by providing different facilities like drinking water, toilet, stands for keeping shoes and mobile phones, shade with CCTV cameras, public address system outside the temple."

"Special arrangements have been made so that devotees will have the darshan of the Lord inside the temple in a disciplined manner. Security arrangement has been tightened in all the dwaras of the temple. Our officers will be deployed to ensure the security of the devotees. Devotees will have entry into the temple through Singhadwara and exit through the other three doors. Staff deployment has been made to ensure the premises of the Srimandir are clean,” said Singh.

He further said that police personnel will be deployed in other temples like Bimala temple and Lakshmi temple for proper crowd management. “Our senior officers will be present inside the main temple to supervise the situation. We have hold discussion with the temple administration and all the servitors to ensure the smooth darshan of the devotees,” he informed. 

Also Read: Puri braces for heavy devotee rush at Jagannath Temple ahead of New Year; security beefed up

“Traffic divergent plans and proper parking arrangements have been made. As many as 60 platoons of security forces will be deployed and senior officers will be kept ready at crucial places for proper crowd management," Singh added.

"We have so much devotion for Lord Jagannath. We are feeling blessed to visit Puri and have darshan of the Lord," said a devotee from Chhattisgarh.

"Lord Jagannath has called us to Puri to have His Darshan. We are feeling ecstatic here," said another devotee.