Bhubaneswar: To manage crowds at Puri during Rath Yatra, the ECoR has set up dedicated pilgrim waiting areas and mela sheds with a combined holding capacity of 29,520 people. The facilities include covered seating, air-cooled resting areas in German hangar sheds and shaded zones for pilgrims waiting for trains.Official sources said NGOs, corporate houses and SHGs will run free food distribution stalls for around 3.5 lakh pilgrims near the station. Passenger facilities have been scaled up with 129 modular toilets, 68 bathrooms, 65 drinking water booths, 10 cold drinking water points and Wi-Fi connectivity across the station premises, an ECoR statement issued on Wednesday said.Three first-aid and medical stations, supported by ambulances, will provide emergency medical assistance. Battery-operated vehicles and a dedicated wheelchair room for emergency evacuation have been arranged for elderly and differently-abled passengers.Ticketing infrastructure has also been expanded with 40 main counters, 12 automatic ticket vending machines, 32 Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System machines and additional counters at 21 stations, official sources said.To decongest regular services and cater to the surge in demand, ECoR will run more than 300 special trains linking key hubs across five states — Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.As part of a flexible crowd-management plan for Rath Yatra, ECoR officials will track footfall at originating and connecting stations and divert extra rakes at short notice to routes witnessing sudden surges during Gundicha Yatra, Sandhya Darshan, Bahuda Yatra and Sunabesha.Security arrangements have been strengthened with 758 RPF personnel, 1,500 GRP staff and 100 civil defence, scouts and guides volunteers. Surveillance will be supported by 250 CCTV cameras, four drones, 10 sniffer dogs and three fire tenders.A round-the-clock war room has been set up to coordinate train operations, crowd movement, security, sanitation and emergency response. Senior officials will monitor CCTV and drone feeds, track rake locations and issue immediate instructions when required.ECoR sources said a 430-member sanitation team, equipped with suction trucks, garbage vehicles, vacuum cleaners and jet cleaning machines, will maintain hygiene. Passenger communication will be managed through 15 LED video walls, 60 loudspeakers and GPS clocks.Puri station has also received infrastructure upgrades, including improved passenger movement facilities, expanded tourist complex floors and organised holding areas. Passengers have been advised to avoid unsafe travel, beware of strangers and suspicious baggage, and verify schedules through official sources, the ECoR statement said.
