Puri : Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department (H & UD), Ms. Usha Padhee, reviewed the preparedness and management arrangements being undertaken by the Urban Development Department and Puri Municipal Corporation for the world-famous Rath Yatra at a high-level meeting, held here on Friday.
Addressing the meeting, Ms. Padhi stated that the H & UD Department plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe, healthy and hassle-free experience for lakhs of devotees visiting Puri during Rath Yatra. She expressed confidence that with coordinated efforts and collective cooperation among all stakeholders, the annual festival would be conducted smoothly and successfully.
Officials informed the meeting that all major drains in the city have been cleaned and desilted. The side drains along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) have also been thoroughly cleaned with the support of Jagrani Welfare Organisation.
A total of 24 designated parking locations have been identified for vehicles, while road repairs and pothole restoration works across the city have been completed.
Keeping in view the possibility of heavy rainfall and waterlogging, 30 vulnerable locations have been identified and equipped with high-capacity pump sets for immediate dewatering. Adequate arrangements have also been made for controlling stray cattle and enforcement activities are being carried out regularly to ensure cleanliness and proper civic management.
Puri Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Ms. Sneha Arugula, informed that special emphasis is being laid on sanitation and public awareness, and that stringent action, including imposition of fines, will be taken against those violating cleanliness norms.
The meeting also decided that only dry food will be distributed during the Rath Yatra and cooked food will not be served on the Grand Road in order to maintain hygiene and facilitate effective waste management.
Information boards and signages relating to food, drinking water, medical services and other public facilities will be installed across the city for the convenience of devotees.
ACS Ms. Padhee appreciated the efforts of PMC Commissioner and team .
The meeting was attended by Special Secretary, H & UD, Vinay Kumar Das; Additional Secretary, Subhananda Mohapatra; Secretary, Puri-Konark Development Authority, Dilip Kumar Maharana; and Joint Secretary, Puri Municipal Corporation, Abhimanyu Behera.
