The 147th annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath will take place on July 7 in Ahmedabad, with more than 22,000 security personnel deployed to ensure the safety of the event, which draws thousands of devotees.
In response to the recent stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which resulted in over 100 fatalities, special crowd management measures will be implemented, according to Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik. He made these announcements during a press conference following a review meeting with around 600 police officers.
This year, the police will use face detection cameras to identify criminals in the crowd. Additionally, 20 drones and balloon-mounted cameras will be deployed to monitor the event. Personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), such as the BSF and Rapid Action Force, along with 35 companies from the State Reserve Police (SRP), will be stationed along the 16-km Yatra route and at key locations.
More than 22,000 security personnel will be mobilized on July 7, including 12,000 from the regular police force, 6,000 Home Guards, 11 CAPF companies, and 35 SRP companies. Of these, 4,500 personnel will escort the procession on foot, while 1,931 will manage traffic.
To prevent any potential stampedes, entry and exit points will be regulated with barricades, and the crowd will be segmented into batches. Senior police officials will oversee the procession using 1,733 body-worn cameras connected to a control room. Additionally, about 1,400 CCTV cameras installed by shopkeepers along the route will support live surveillance.
Real-time footage of the Rath Yatra will be broadcast to the police control room, a dedicated control room at the Circuit House, the DGP office, and the chief minister's office in Gandhinagar. An official statement revealed that 20 drones and 96 surveillance cameras will cover 47 locations along the route. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel recently reviewed the security measures for the event in a meeting with various officials, including Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi and Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay.
In preparation for medical emergencies, 16 ambulances and medical teams will be on standby across five government hospitals. Additionally, 17 help desks will be installed along the route to assist citizens.
As per tradition, the procession, led by chariots, will start early at around 7 am from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur and conclude by 8 pm, covering various areas in the Old City, including some communally sensitive zones. The event will feature 18 festively adorned elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 'akhadas' (local gymnasiums). The chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra, and sister Subhadra will be traditionally drawn by members of the Khalashi community. Thousands of devotees are expected to line the route to catch a glimpse of the deities.
Odisha Declares Two-Day Holiday for Rath Yatra After 53 Years
Khalilagi Ekadashi: From Legends to Rituals at Jagannath Temple