Puri: The security arrangements for the Puri Car Festival have gone hi-tech with the installation of artificial intelligence (AI) based CCTV cameras at Badadanda, the venue of the festival, and other strategic locations in this pilgrim town.
Additional DGP Dayal Gangwar informed newsmen Friday that the police will use advanced technology to manage the huge crowd of devotees expected to participate in the grand annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, scheduled to commence July 7.
He mentioned that the footage from these cameras will be monitored live from two integrated control rooms. For the first time, all incoming vehicles to Puri, including two-wheelers, will be counted. This will help authorities take preventive steps to avoid congestion and road blockages.
Additionally, a Public Announcement Drone (PAD) will fly over the Puri-Bhubaneswar National Highway to identify black spots and inform the public and devotees. The authorities have identified about 30 traffic black spots along the Puri-Bhubaneswar, Puri-Brahmagiri, and Puri-Konark highways.
This drone, weighing about fifteen kilograms and equipped with a public announcement system, can fly 30 to 100 meters above the ground and provide real-time information to the public.
Moreover, the police have launched a WhatsApp Chat Bot App to help devotees plan their routes. A QR code has been released for the public, which can be downloaded onto any Android mobile phone. With the help of this app, users can get real-time information regarding traffic restrictions, nearby parking places, hotels, drinking water fountains, toilets, lifeguard presence along the beach, and other facilities.
The traffic restrictions will be enforced from midnight on July 6. The police expect 100 to 150 tourist buses, 400-500 regular buses, and 190 special buses from various blocks of the state. About two dozen additional parking areas have been created near different entry points to the town, Gangwar said.
Approximately fifty platoons of the police force, with 450 officers, have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of vehicular and pilgrim traffic. Traffic restrictions will remain in force until the Suna Vesha of the deities, he added.
At the reserve police ground, the police conducted a mock drill for the chariot pulling scheduled for July 7, under the supervision of Director of Intelligence Soumendra Priyadarshi. Sources indicated that, to respect tradition, one chariot will be pulled a short distance at about 5 p.m. on July 7, with pulling resuming on the morning of July 8.
Approximately 180 platoons of the police force will be deployed in light of the President’s visit to participate in the Rath Yatra.
The entire Badadanda area has been divided into six zones for security purposes, with senior police officers in charge of each zone. An adequate number of police personnel will be posted inside the temple complex.
There will be no public darshan during the Pahandi of deities inside the temple to maintain the ritual schedule.
At least three companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), two companies of the CRPF, eight SOG teams, bomb detection and disposal units, and over 2,000 home guards will be deployed, said Additional DGP (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar.
UNI