Special drive to keep Puri station clean during Rath Yatra

Devotees pull the 'Rath' or chariot of Lord Jagannath near to the temple on the last day of a religious procession called Rath Yatra, in the eastern Indian city of Puri June 29, 2012. The Rath Yatra commemorates the legendary journey of Lord Krishna, also known as Lord Jagannath, to his birthplace in Mathura. REUTERS/Stringer (INDIA - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) - GM1E86T1RB101

The East Coast Railway will take a special drive to keep the Puri railway station clean during Rath Yatra when lakhs of devotees will come to the holy town, an official said.

"As a part of our contribution to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, it is extremely important for us to present the railway station in its best condition during the entire Rath Yatra period," ECoR General Manager Umesh Singh said in a review meeting yesterday.

This year the Railways has already announced 184 Special Trains to be run in addition to the normal trains scheduled. Some more Special Trains are also being planned and the total number of trains is likely to touch 190, an ECoR railway press release quoting him said.

He also reviewed security arrangements and stressed upon proper crowd management by the RPF and the GRP. Extra CCTV cameras would be put in position at crucial points, he said and added that punctuality of all incoming trains would be monitored from originating points, it said.

The Rath Yatra APP developed by ECoR will be of great help and Live Train Information will be displayed on that, he said. Another new feature is a truck-mounted Accident Relief Vehicle which can quickly reach Puri station in case of requirement, he said. The Rath Yatra will be held on July 14.