BHUBANESWAR: The Commerce and Transport department on Wednesday announced that bus operations to Puri will be increased for the upcoming Rath Yatra to ensure devotees do not face any inconvenience to travel to the pilgrim town during the festival.
Chairing a meeting of all stakeholders at the RTO-I office here, Transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur directed them to ensure that devotees travelling to and from Puri during Rath Yatra and other associated festivals like Gundicha Yatra, Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha have a hassle-free travel.
The meeting decided to issue adequate temporary permits for buses during the chariot festival. Bus owners operating on routes outside Puri can also apply for the temporary permits.
Currently, around 200 private buses are plying to Puri daily and the target is to double the number during Rath Yatra. The number of government buses operated by Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) and Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT) will also be increased during the festival.
The display of fare charts inside every bus was also made mandatory. All buses will be equipped with first-aid kits to provide immediate assistance in case any passenger falls ill during the journey. Drinking water and ORS packets will be provided to the passengers at major bus terminals, bus stops and inside the buses during the journeys.
The Transport department will also set up a dedicated information centre and a 24X7 control room in Puri. A help desk will also be established at Talabania to assist passengers. Besides, a 24-hour toll-free helpline by the State Transport Authority (STA) will remain operational to provide information and assistance to the passengers, officials said.
A temporary rest facility equipped with drinking water and electricity will also be set up at Talabania for the devotees. Free cooked meals will be provided there. Buses arriving from other states will be asked to park at Malatipatpur from where free shuttle services will be provided to the visitors. Free e-rickshaw services will be provided to the devotees from Talabania and other major parking locations. A total of 450 e-rickshaws are proposed to be deployed for this purpose, they informed.
To effectively respond to emergencies, adequate numbers of cranes and ambulances will be mobilised along the Bhubaneswar-Puri corridor. Continuous coordination will be maintained between the police and the Health departments. Both government and private hospitals will ensure prompt treatment to road accident victims, officials said.