Ahmedabad, July 7 (IANS) The local administration has stepped up preparations for the 149th Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, with civic officials, police, temple representatives and community leaders finalising plans to ensure the annual procession is conducted peacefully, safely and with minimal disruption on July 16.

A meeting of the City Unity Committee, chaired by Mayor Hitesh Barot at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) headquarters in the Danapith area on Tuesday, reviewed arrangements for the procession and focused on strengthening coordination among civic departments, police and other agencies.

Officials discussed measures to maintain law and order, communal harmony and smooth movement of the procession along its route.

Responsibilities of the AMC and the police, along with suggestions from members of the City Unity Committee, were reviewed as part of the planning process.

Addressing the meeting, Mayor Hitesh Barot described the Rath Yatra as “a symbol of the city’s faith and unity” and said the municipal corporation would incorporate suggestions from committee members as it completes the remaining preparations.

“The AMC, in coordination with the police and other agencies, would ensure all necessary arrangements were in place so that the procession could proceed peacefully and Lord Jagannath’s chariot reached the temple without obstruction. On-site inspections of various arrangements would be carried out before the procession,” he said.

The meeting assessed lessons from previous years and discussed additional planning based on recommendations from the Jagannath Temple Trust to improve the organisation of this year’s event.

Authorities also outlined special measures for the elephants participating in the procession.

Officials said DJs and high-volume sound systems would not be permitted while the elephants were passing to prevent unnecessary noise and inconvenience to the animals.

Traffic management, particularly in the Jamalpur area during the return leg of the procession, was another key focus.

Officials said revised traffic arrangements, along with improvements to lighting and other civic infrastructure, had been planned based on previous experience.

“Arrangements included timely water supply for more than 101 trucks accompanying the procession, continuous sanitation work, deployment of fire services, removal of dilapidated structures along the route, trimming of trees, issuance of identity cards to khalasis (chariot attendants) and ensuring CCTV cameras remained operational throughout the route,” officials noted.

Power infrastructure has also been strengthened, with preparations involving 730 electricity poles, 560 floodlights, 11 uninterrupted power supply (UPS) units and the deployment of 33 Torrent Power personnel along the procession route.

Officials said catchpits and drainage lines would be cleaned before the event, while green coverings on balconies were also proposed to discourage overcrowding.

The meeting concluded that preparations were progressing through coordinated efforts among the AMC, Ahmedabad Police, and other agencies, with the remaining works to be completed ahead of the July 16 Rath Yatra.

–IANS

mys/dan