Odisha govt to deploy nearly 7,000 police personnel, 475 CCTV cameras for Puri Rath Yatra
National 23 Jun, 2026

Odisha govt to deploy nearly 7,000 police personnel, 475 CCTV cameras for Puri Rath Yatra

Business To Business, Puri, 23rd June, 2026:   The Odisha government on Tuesday announced extensive security and crowd-management arrangements for the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, scheduled to begin on July 16.
Following the second coordination meeting on the festival, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said nearly 7,000 police personnel and 475 CCTV cameras would be deployed to ensure a smooth and incident-free celebration.
Key Security Arrangements
The state government plans to deploy:

  • Around 7,000 police personnel
  • 475 CCTV cameras for surveillance
  • Enhanced crowd-management systems
  • Traffic regulation measures
  • Emergency response and disaster-management teams
The arrangements are aimed at managing the large influx of devotees expected to attend one of India's biggest religious festivals.
Early Preparations
Harichandan said preparations for the Rath Yatra began as early as January this year.
According to the minister, the government is focused on ensuring:
  • Safety of devotees
  • Smooth conduct of rituals
  • Effective crowd control
  • Better coordination among departments
  • A flawless and incident-free festival
Significance of Rath Yatra
The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is among India's most prominent religious events, drawing lakhs of pilgrims from across the country and abroad.
During the festival, the deities of the Jagannath Temple are taken in massive wooden chariots from the temple to the Gundicha Temple in a grand public procession.
Given the scale of attendance, security and logistical planning are critical components of the annual event, with state authorities coordinating closely with police, temple administration, health services, and disaster-management agencies.

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