Title - ECoR's arrangements for Rathyatra festival - Indian Express

The East Coast Railway has made arrangements for the safety and convenience of passengers during the Rathyatra festival of Lord Jagannath to be held at Puri tomorrow.

Launching a special awareness campaign for passengers in overcrowded trains, EcoR urged them to avoid using footboard, buffers and rooftop for their journey.

Passengers have been requested not to accept food, soft drinks and drinking water from strangers. They are advised not to carry any inflammable items like gas cylinder, stoves, debris, cigarettes and matchbox, an ECoR official said today.

Passengers have also been requested not to touch suspicious unclaimed objects like tiffin box and baggage.

This apart, priority has been given to cleanliness of platforms, trains and station premises, safety and security of passengers during the festival. Provision of additional booking counters and special trains have also been arranged.

ECoR is running 62 special trains during Rath Yatra festival period to and from Puri from different destinations including Visakhapatnam and Palasa of Andhra Pradesh and Kharagpur in West Bengal apart from 180 regular trains, sources said.

As many as 35 additional computerized unreserved ticket booking counters have been opened at Puri only and extra counters have been opened at important stations under East Coast Railway jurisdiction.

Seven additional round-the-clock enquiry and information counters have been opened for convenience of passengers.

Doctors and paramedical staff have been deputed at Puri to provide First Aid services with Ambulance facilities.

Sanitation and cleanliness arrangements have been made 24-hour at station premises and surrounding areas of Puri railway station free of cost.

A rest shed have been erected at Puri Station exclusively for the convenience of the passengers which can accommodate 5,000 persons.

Janata meals will be provided at 21 Stalls at Puri, Sakhigopal, Delang, Kanas Road and Khurda Road Stations. Round the clock food plaza will be opened at Puri Station. Packaged drinking water will also be sold at different places.

About 450 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel including Officers and staff will be deployed for the entire Car Festival period.

40 lady constables will be deployed for the safety and security of lady passengers.

CCTV, metal detector, sniffer dog including sufficient security personnel will also be deployed at Puri and other important Stations.