PURI: After two years of Covid-induced separation of sorts, devotees may once again gather to witness the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his divine siblings this year. The Puri administration is already gearing up to host a whopping 15 lakh faithfuls on the opening day of the nine-day-long sojourn on July 1.
On Thursday, it held a high-level meeting of 20 departments connected with the festival and two blueprints for as many different scenarios were put into plan. Since the shrine was closed for devotees for almost two years due to the Covid pandemic and Rath Yatra was conducted without the presence of devotees, this year’s turnout at the festival - if everything goes as planned - is expected to balloon.
Considering the present pandemic scenario, it is likely that devotees will be allowed to participate. In case a new wave of transmission takes place, the festival would have to be observed without their participation like it was conducted in 2020 and 2021.
Collector Samarth Verma, who presided over the meeting, asked engineers and officials connected with the festival to prepare two plans. The first plan of action will focus on celebrating of the festival with devotees as the pandemic has presumably reached an endemic stage. If the fourth wave hits the State, the other plan will be activated and the festival will be conducted sans devotees.
The meeting discussed the supply of power, potable drinking water, essential commodities, health and hygiene, sanitation, cleaning of drains, repairs and widening of roads, security arrangements and ongoing construction of three chariots in the construction yard. Servitor representatives, temple managing body members, officials concerned and SP K Vishal Singh and the temple administrators were present.