In order to make traveling to Puri for the yearly Rath Yatra celebrations easy and hassle-free for devotees, the Odisha government has made significant transportation arrangements. In order to evaluate the Transport Department’s readiness for the massive religious festival, which comprises Rath Yatra, Bahuda Yatra, and Suna Besha, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur presided over a high-level assessment meeting on Wednesday. Approximately 1,000 busses will be sent from various regions of the state as part of the plans to transport followers to the Holy City. To guarantee continuous transportation services throughout the event, the department will grant these buses temporary permits.
To streamline traffic management and commuter convenience, parking facilities will be established at Malatipatpur and Talabania on the outskirts of Puri. Help desks will also be set up at the Baramunda Bus Terminal in Bhubaneswar and the Netaji Bus Terminal in Cuttack to assist pilgrims. In a significant relief measure, toll fees will not be collected from buses at the Pipili toll gate during the festival, enabling faster and smoother movement of vehicles carrying devotees. The Transport Department said the Puri district administration has been requested to provide essential amenities such as rest sheds, drinking water and other basic facilities at Malatipatpur and Talabania. Shuttle bus services will also be operated between Malatipatpur and Puri to facilitate the movement of pilgrims.
The Transport Commissioner threatened to take severe action against private bus companies that were found to be overcharging customers and ordered them to prominently display pricing charts inside their vehicles. Special enforcement teams will be stationed in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Ganjam, Balasore, Bhadrak, Nayagarh, Chandikhol, Dhenkanal, and Angul to guarantee traffic safety and uphold transportation laws. In order to prevent careless driving and other infractions during the festival, officials have also been directed to regularly police National Highways 16 and 316. The precautions are intended to ensure that the many devotees who are anticipated to take part in one of Odisha’s largest religious festivals travel in a safe, effective, and comfortable manner.
