Bhubaneswar: Director General of Police (DGP) Dr RP Sharma on Wednesday chaired a coordination meeting of Central and State security forces here for the upcoming Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri.
This year the annual Rath Yatra (Car festival) falls on July 4. The annual festival attracts a huge number of visitors from across the country and outside.
Senior police officers of the State Police and officers from Central Security agencies like CRPF, BSF, RPF, Coast Guard, Air Port Authorities of India, Indian Navy and IB attended the meeting.
A detailed discussion was held relating to the security arrangement for smooth passage of the festival.
While Coast Guard agreed for adequate sea patrolling off the coast of Puri along with personnel of Indian Navy and Marine Staff of Odisha Police, RPF expressed its willingness to provide adequate security at Puri and Bhubaneswar railway stations and also in the running trains and make proper arrangement for dissemination of information to railway passengers through LED regarding timings of different trains.
It was decided in the meeting that adequate number of CCTV cameras will also be installed by the RPF in the Puri Railway Station during this mega festival. RPF will also install display boards in the conspicuous locations of Puri town to provide information about train timings.
The CRPF officials also extended their full cooperation to prevent any evil design by any extremist groups or mischief mongers. Indian Navy and State Police will provide timely support to the Coast Guard in the above mission.
NSG will be requested to keep one team in readiness in their Hyderabad Hub to meet any emergency during the festival.
It was decided to request Ministry of Civil Aviation as well as Ministry of Home Affairs to declare Puri Bada Danda (Grand Road) and the temple premises as no flying zone for the low-flying objects like helicopter, drone camera during the festival.
One team of NDRF consisting of 45 members will be deployed during the festival to meet any emergency situation. They will be assisted by the State ODRAF, Odisha Police and Odisha Fire Service personnel.
Coast Guard will identify some black spots along the sea coast of Puri town. Professional divers, life guards and ambulance will be kept in readiness in these spots.
More number of CCTV cameras will be installed in Grand Road (Badadanda) to keep a close watch on the crowd movement.
An integrated Control Room will function at Puri Town police station where representatives from Odisha Police, CRPF, NDRF, Indian Navy, Coast Guard, RPF and other agencies will remain present round the clock for proper co-ordination.
Director Intelligence Sunil Roy and his deputy RK Sharma, Railways ADG Pranabindu Acharya, Modernisation ADG VT Mishra, Law and Order ADG Sanjeeb Panda, CRPF DIG CRPF C Marndi, RPF DIG SD Bhanot, Coast Guard DIG PK Sethy, SIB Joint Director Jacob, NDRF Commandant DP Bhardwag among many other officials attended the meeting.
