Title - Security beefed up, 62 special trains

A massive security blanket has been thrown over Puri railway station as lakhs of pilgrims and devotees make their way to the city to take part in the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath.The East Coast Railways (ECoR) would deploy all platoons of Railway Protection Force with as many as 450 personnel including officers and staff during the whole car festival period even as Puri and other important stations would be put under stringent CCTV surveillance systems and metal detectors along with sniffer dogs. Women constables would be deployed for safety and security of lady passengers at the time of purchasing tickets at booking office, PRS and ladies waiting room.ECoR will run 62 Special Trains during the festival to Puri from different important destinations of the State besides Visakhapatnam and Palasa of Andhra Pradesh and Kharagpur in West Bengal.Thirty-five additional computerised unreserved ticket booking counters have been opened at Puri along with seven additional enquiry and information counters, which will function round-the-clock. A rest shed has been erected at Puri station exclusively for the festival with a capacity to accommodate 5,000 people.Janata Meals will be provided through 21 stalls at Puri, Sakhigopal, Delang, Kanas Road and Khurda Road stations. The Railway authorities have requested passengers not to accept food and soft drink including drinking water from strangers. Doctors and paramedical staff have been deputed at Puri to provide first- aid with round-the-clock ambulance facilities, ECoR stated.