PURI: Ahead of the Bahuda Yatra, the administration has put in place necessary arrangements to plug the loopholes detected during pulling of chariots to the Gundicha temple.
Puri Collector Samarth Verma said passes issued to individuals for the Trinity’s return car festival are non-transferable and would be verified. Presence of pass holders inside the rath cordon would be documented through videography.
To prevent devotees from coming on to Bada Danda, a 48-hour curfew will be imposed on the Grand Road from 8 pm on Monday till the same time on Wednesday. All entry routes to Puri would be sealed. Besides, locals roads connected to Bada Danda would be secured.
On Sunday, all lodging houses and hotels were vacated while shop owners and business establishments were asked to down their shutters during the curfew.
Residents living in houses along the Grand Road have been asked not to go to the rooftop or balcony to watch the festival proceedings.
The administration has warned of using drone cameras to ensure that the rule is strictly followed and those violating the directive would be prosecuted. Municipality staff are visiting every household along Bada Danda to enumerate the number of members in each family.
On the day, ‘Navami Darshan’ of the Trinity was held without participation of devotees. Before the pandemic broke out, lakhs of devotees thronged Gundicha temple have darshan of the deities at Adapa Mandap every year. According to belief, one who has darshan of the Trinity at Adapa Mandap on the auspicious Navami tithi attains salvation.
Meanwhile, the fourth phase RT-PCR test of servitors and others participating in the Rath Yatra festival is being conducted in adherence to the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the State government. Only those testing negative for Covid-19 are being allowed to participate in the rituals.
All the three chariots were veered from the entry gate of Gundicha temple on Saturday and parked at Nakachana Dwar (exit gate) facing towards Srimandir for the Bahuda Yatra which will be organised on Tuesday.
Five more Rath cordon intruders identified
Police on Sunday identified five more persons who allegedly entered the inner cordon of the three chariots during Rath Yatra on July 12. City DSP Janardan Padhi said the five accused are Badal Lenka of Cuttack, Subhasis Samartha, Manoj Tripathy, Bijay Kumar Majhi and Sisir Padhi, all of Puri. They have been issued notice to explain their presence in the prohibited area.
Following public outrage over the presence of many influential persons like contractors, mine owners and film director in the inner cordon of the chariots, Simhadwar police had registered a case and launched investigation by scanning the CCTV, drone camera and live telecast footage of the festival to identify the intruders.
The DSP said all the accused would face action for violating curfew norms. Meanwhile, police sealed eight rooms of a lodge for allowing boarders to go on to the rooftop and watch the festival.