Puri: In an effort to ensure hassle-free crowd management at Srimandir, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will deploy Pratihari servitors and a few police personnel on the stretch between Natamandap and inner barricade of the temple beginning Wednesday.
Sources said the Jagannath Temple Police (JTP) personnel deployed on the stretch are not adequate enough to ensure smooth movement of devotees. As a result, the stretch often witnesses untoward incidents like devotees, especially elderly, falling unconscious amid the jostling crowd.
“Instead of exiting the temple and making way for others, devotees could be seen gathering at the stretch after having darshan of the deities. Pratihari servitors and a few police personnel, who will be stationed there, will help prevent the unnecessary crowding over there,” SJTA chief administrator Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said after a meeting here Tuesday.
The move is expected to go a long way in facilitating visitors to have smooth darshan of the deities, Mohapatra added.
Anticipating huge footfall at the 12th century shrine during Diwali celebrations, the district Collector and SP are all set to take stock of the security arrangements at Srimandir Wednesday.
Notably, the queue system for darshan of deities, which was introduced at the shrine October 1, 2018, drew criticisms and triggered protests from several quarters. The alleged mismanagement at the shrine and subsequent untoward incidents on the temple premises have further added to the growing controversies. “We’ll work out on every plan that we can to ensure an organised darshan of the deities keeping in mind the safety of visitors,” Mohapatra said.
District Collector Jyotiprakash Das and superintendent of police (SP) Sarthak Sarangi, along with other temple officials, also attended the meeting.