Bhubaneswar: After Supreme Court’s nod for holding Rath Yatra in Puri, Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy and Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay reviewed the security arrangements in the Holy City ahead of the annual car festival.
“All departments related to the car festival are fully prepared. The Rath Yatra will be held without devotees and visitors. All directions of Supreme Court will be fully adhered with,” the Chief Secretary said soon after holding a close-door meeting on the premises of Niladri Bhakta Niwas here in Puri.
Apart from the Chief Secretary and DGP, Law Minister Pratap Jena, Puri Temple Managing Committee chairperson Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Puri Collector Balwant Singh, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief administrator Krishan Kumar, servitors of Srimandir and Crime Branch additional director general (ADG) Santosh Upadhayay were also present in the meeting.
Notably, soon after getting a go-ahead from apex court for holding Rath Yata, the Odisha government was on its wits’ end to ensure all system for conducting the annual car festival were in place in accordance with the COVID-19 guidelines. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked the Chief Secretary as well as the DGP to review the law and order situation in the Pilgrim City.
PNN