Bhubaneswar, Jan 13 (IANS) Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Tuesday instructed senior officials of various departments to ensure that no lapses occur during this year’s Rath Yatra and to carry out the responsibilities assigned to their respective departments without any error.

During the first preparatory meeting for this year’s Rath Yatra, which is going to be held on July 16, CS Garg advised the senior officials to learn from the experiences of the previous year, plan in advance, and coordinate across departments to ensure an error-free and well-managed Rath Yatra.

During the preparatory meeting, the Chief Secretary highlighted different rituals and activities, beginning from the collection of wood for chariots, chariot construction, and pulling of the chariot, among others.

She said that since the Rath Yatra in Puri draws lakhs of devotees every year, coordination is essential for the smooth organization of the event.

As the Rath Yatra is six months away, the Chief Secretary, during the meeting, gave necessary instructions and guidance to ensure that all tasks are completed within the scheduled timeframe and that the event is conducted without any lapses.

The officials held detailed discussions on the collection of wood logs for the construction of chariots, as well as the deployment of additional police, traffic, and security personnel, more LED TVs, 24×7 water supply, parking arrangements, and other logistics during this year’s Rath Yatra to ensure crowd control and maintain law and order.

Notably, last year’s Rath Yatra was marked by severe mismanagement and serious lapses, including the tragic stampede near Gundicha Temple on June 29, 2025 which led to the deaths of three pilgrims in Puri.

Following the tragic stampede incident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended an apology to the devotees of Lord Jagannath and ordered an immediate investigation into the security lapses.

The Odisha government also shunted out Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal.

Two other senior police officials – DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhee – have been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. The government also immediately announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakhs each for the family members of the deceased pilgrims.

–IANS

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