Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Shrimati Anu Garg chaired a high-level meeting today at the Lok Seva Bhawan conference hall to discuss early preparations for the upcoming 2026 Ratha Jatra. This marked the first preparatory meeting headed by the Chief Secretary for this year’s festival, focusing on ensuring a flawless and well-managed event. During the session, she advised various departments to begin strategic planning and announced that review meetings will be held every month to monitor progress.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Director General of Police Shri Y.B. Khurania, Director General of Fire Services Dr. Sudhanshu Sarangi, and Additional Chief Secretary of Home, Industry, and Information and Public Relations Shri Hemant Sharma.
Additional Chief Secretary and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee also participated along with Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development, Shrimati Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary Works, shri Sanjay Singh, Principal Secretary Finance, Shri Sanjeeb Mishra, Secretary Health & FW, Shrimati Aswathy S as well as senior officials from the National Highways Authority of India and the Puri District Administration.
Dr. Padhee informed the meeting that while various calendars suggest Ratha Jatra will fall on July 16, the final dates for the nine-day festival, including Bahuda Jatra and Suna Besha, will be confirmed according to the traditional rituals of the temple in consultation with the Chhatisa Nijog, Mukti Mandap, and other temple committees. He shared the schedule for preliminary rituals, noting that the consecration of chariot timber (Ratha Katha Pujana) will take place on Basanta Panchami, January 23, followed by timber sawing starting on Shriram Navami, March 27, and the commencement of chariot construction on Akshaya Tritiya, April 20. The Snana Jatra is scheduled for June 29.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that the massive influx of lakhs of devotees necessitates seamless coordination between departments. To reduce congestion near the chariots during the pulling ceremony, more LED screens will be installed along Bada Danda to provide live information to the public. Regarding infrastructure, the Works Department has been directed to complete road repairs within Puri town by April. Furthermore, the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) was instructed to finish ongoing projects near the shrine, including those at JBPC and Masani Chandi, by March. The National Highway division in Bhubaneswar was also told to expedite the construction of the Siddha Mahabir road overbridge to ease traffic congestion.
Public health and sanitation were key topics of discussion. The Health and Family Welfare Department plans to set up temporary first-aid centers staffed by specialists and paramedics along Bada Danda. Watco will ensure 24-hour drinking water supply, and the Housing and Urban Development Department has been tasked with constructing 300 to 400 additional toilets. To maintain cleanliness, free cooked food distribution will require special permission from the Collector to ensure proper waste disposal. Additionally, glowing signage will be placed throughout the area to guide devotees to health centers, toilets, and water points.
Security and crowd management plans involve heavy police deployment. The Director General of Police suggested setting up 500 parking spots with adequate lighting between Uttara Chhak and Puri to manage traffic. To prevent accidents, buildings along Bada Danda will be inspected, and those found unsafe will be restricted. Large-scale beach events will also be prohibited during the festival to prioritize crowd control. For travelers, the Railways will increase ticket booking counters at Puri station and improve online reservation systems and public information dissemination.
Chief Secretary Smt.Garg concluded by urging all departments to learn from past experiences to ensure an error-free festival, reminding officials that their departmental responsibilities must be executed accurately. She also directed that two sets of Charamala (sloping ladders for the chariots) be kept ready for this year’s event