As the sacred city of Puri prepares to host the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) is undertaking massive and well-coordinated preparations to ensure the smooth movement and comfortable journey of pilgrims expected to visit during the festival.

Shri Parmeshwar Funkwal, General Manager of East Coast Railway in his inspection at Puri Railway Station, today, reviewed the comprehensive arrangements made to manage the influx of devotees. The inspection emphasized passenger comfort, crowd management, infrastructure readiness and the integration of technology to elevate the pilgrim experience.

Unprecedented Passenger Services for Devotees:

ECoR is ready to handle record crowd, deploying extensive infrastructure enhancements and services at and around Puri Railway Station, the epicenter of activity during the Rath Yatra.

Special Trains on Demand and Dynamic Scheduling:

To meet extraordinary travel demand, over 365 special trains are being operated from various states including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra. 

Enhanced Pilgrim Facilities & Crowd Management:

ECoR has established dedicated Pilgrim Waiting Areas and Mela Sheds at Puri, with a combined capacity of pilgrims, offering:

•    Covered seating zones
•    Modular toilets and drinking water booths
•    Mobile charging stations and shaded rest areas
•    Medical first aid stations with ambulance backup
•    Mobile ATMs 

Crowd control will be ensured through Scouts & Guides, RPF/GRP, dual-layer ticket checking, and strategic barricading.

24x7 Passenger Assistance & Real-Time Monitoring:

A fully operational Round-the-Clock Control Room at Puri is supported by:
•    Help Desks & “May I Help You” Counters across key points
•    Real-time updates via LED displays, public announcements.
•    ECoR Yatra App
•    Easy access to mobile ticketing through UTS App

Expanded Ticketing Infrastructure:

•    34 booking counters at Puri Station
•    35 additional counters at junctions like Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Bhadrak
•    Mobile UTS counters, ATVMs with facilitators, and campaigns promoting digital ticketing

Catering, Local Culture & Spiritual Ambience:

ECoR is enhancing the spiritual and local flavor of the event:
•    Janata meals, snacks, water bottles
•    OSOP (One Station One Product) stalls showcasing local crafts, handlooms, and appliqué work
•    Temporary food stalls set up at platforms and Mela Sheds

Cleanliness, Sanitation & Medical Care:
•    Round-the-clock deployment of sanitation staff
•    Medical booths manned by doctors and paramedics with ambulance support
•    Jet-cleaning, mobile toilets, and robust waste disposal systems

Safety, Security & Surveillance:

Security measures have been significantly strengthened:
•    RPF & GRP deployment at all entry, exit, and booking zones
•    250 CCTV cameras, drones, sniffer dogs, and fire tenders
•    Face recognition technology, manual frisking, and 10 entry gates with dual-stage ticket checks
•    Fortress checks at key junctions like Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, and Cuttack

Infrastructure, Logistics & Power Backup:

•    Alternative power sources for critical systems and stations
•    Temporary rest sheds for duty personnel, logistics support rooms, and controlled unloading zones

Pilgrimage for All:

Special care is being taken for elderly, women, children and the medically vulnerable:
•    Battery Operated Vehicles for movement to Platforms
•    Reserved seating, shaded rest zones, and accessible sanitation
•    Medical kiosks and water stations at all key points

East Coast Railway has also associated various NGOs to provide hygienic food service and Drinking Water, etc., to pilgrims free of cost in the Railway premises.

(Release ID: 2139748)