Surat: On Friday, Surat will transform into a city of celebration and devotion as seven Rathayatras roll through its streets, accompanied by chants, music, and throngs of devotees pulling the sacred chariots of Lord Jagannath. The scale of this year’s festivities is grand, with elaborate processions covering routes from three to thirteen kilometres across different parts of the city.The largest of these ratha yatra will begin at Surat Railway Station, winding through Udhna, Majura, Sardar Bridge and Mora Bhagal before culminating at the ISKCON temple in Jahangirpura. The 13-kilometre-long procession is expected to draw massive crowds.Another major ratha yatra will set off from the Varachha ISKCON temple, traveling 10km to Sarthana Zoo.But the spirit of ratha yatra won’t be confined to these two grand events. Across the city, five smaller ratha yatras and two shobha yatras will also take place, drawing participation from various neighbourhoods. These include processions from Pandesara Jagannath temple to Ashirwad Township, Katargam Lanka Vijay Hanuman to Mansarovar Circle, Bhestan Jagannath temple to Madhvan Suda Avas, Mahidharpura Ghodiya Bava Temple to Galemandi and Sachin Jagannath temple to Panchamrut Nagar. Authorities have announced extensive traffic diversions across procession routes to manage congestion. Meanwhile, more than 4,500 personnel have been deployed to ensure security and smooth conduct of the events.This massive deployment includes an additional police commissioner, 8 deputy commissioners, 17 assistant commissioners, 74 police inspectors, 132 sub-inspectors, 1,792 constables, 2,000 home guards, 450 TRB jawans, and five companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP).To support the on-ground teams, 15 special traffic cranes have been stationed across the city for quick clearance of vehicles if required. CCTV cameras have been installed along the key routes, and body-worn cameras will be used by officials for real-time monitoring and accountability.
