June 28th 2024.
The Ministry of Railways has recently announced that they will be providing special trains for the upcoming Car Festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri. This decision has been taken to ensure that the pilgrims have a smooth and convenient travel experience from July 6 to July 19. In light of the previous Rath Yatra festivals, the East Coast Railway has planned to run special trains from various parts of Odisha and neighbouring states.
This year, special trains will be available from Badampahad, Rourkela, Baleswar, Sonepur, and Daspalla. In addition, there will be special trains from Junagarh Road, Sambalpur, Kendujhargarh, Paradeep, Bhadrak, Angul, Gunupur, and Bangiriposi on the day of Gundicha Yatra. The Railway Ministry has also made arrangements for special trains during Sandhya Darshan, Bahuda Yatra, Suna Vesha, and the Adharapana Festival of Rath Yatra.
In order to accommodate the high demand from devotees, the ECoR has decided to run even more special trains and provide reserved class accommodation on some long-distance trains during the festival period. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stressed the importance of improving passenger amenities and facilities during the Rath Yatra and has advised the ECoR to ensure the convenience and benefits of the pilgrims and devotees.
As part of their preparations, East Coast Railway General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal personally inspected the Rath Yatra arrangements at Puri Railway Station and took note of the facilities being provided to the pilgrims. He also instructed the officials to complete all arrangements well before the scheduled period of Rath Yatra. The ECoR has taken various measures for crowd management, including the installation of Train Information System/ inquiry counters, Video Walls Display, Additional Ticket Booking Counters, and Mobile Ticket Counters. They have also set up a Pilgrim Waiting Area and Shed that can accommodate up to 15,000 pilgrims.
Furthermore, the ECoR has made arrangements for security, catering, hospitality, medical facilities, and ambulance services. They have also ensured provisions for power supply, water supply, cleanliness, security, drinking water, and sufficient toilets for the convenience of passengers, especially the pilgrims. With these preparations in place, the ECoR is ready to welcome the devotees and provide them with a safe and comfortable journey during the Rath Yatra festival.
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