PURI: With 2024 drawing to a close and a new year knocking at the doors, the Puri administration is grappling with huge footfall of devotees at the Shree Jagannath temple.
Though devotees are allowed to enter the temple in a queue, it breaks at Bhitarkath as there is barely any order and pilgrims jostle to get ahead of each other to have a glimpse of the deities. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the elderly and children amidst the rush. On Monday, at least five devotees including three girl students from Bhadrak were taken to hospital after they fell unconscious. Later, they were discharged after administration of first aid.
From Tuesday, devotees will be allowed entry in a queue between the barricades through Singhadwar, the main gate of the temple, while exiting through the other three gates.
Temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee told mediapersons that the new darshan system will be enforced from early December 31 till January 1. However, there would be no restriction on the movement of the temple servitors and their families.
Many senior residents said since devotees have to wait for hours in the queue which is over 1.5 km long, by the time they reach Bhitarkath, exhaustion makes them feel suffocated and they fall unconscious. They suggested that the time in the queue be minimised by quickening movement of the devotees besides distribution of sufficient drinking water bottles to mitigate dehydration problem.
DIG, Charan Singh Meena on Sunday took a meeting of all senior police officers. He said over 60 platoon police have been deployed for the year-end rush. While the entire temple complex has been divided into four security zones, the rest of the town is classified into six zones to conduct devotees to the temple and regulate vehicular traffic. A special police team will keep watch on anti-socials, pickpockets and chain snatchers.
An integrated control room will monitor devotee’s movement. Police also issued an advisory regarding parking of vehicles and urged hoteliers to get listed in the SARAI app, DIG Meena said.
Meanwhile, efforts are on by the temple administration to present devotees with a splendid look of the temple while entering Singhadwar as the arch over Patitapaban image is being silver plated by expert artisans. The work is in steady progress and likely to be completed by the Tuesday night, temple sources informed.
Earlier, seven doors including four gates (entrances) of the temple were silver coated with intricate artwork depicting the chakra, mace, conch and lotus, the four insignias of the Shree Jagannath temple.