Cops plan to revoke cordon passes to restrict entry on Bahuda
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Bhubaneswar: For effective crowd management during Bahuda Yatra or return car festival Saturday, police are planning to revoke a large number of cordon passes earlier issued to various stakeholders for proximity access to the sacred chariots.
Traditionally, the district collector issues common cordon passes, valid for both Rath Yatra and Bahuda celebrations, to a diverse group of persons, including govt officials, political representatives, temple servitors, media personnel, temple administrative staff, volunteers, and traditional cultural performers. These passes grant privileged access to the inner cordon area surrounding the chariots.
The current year's festivities have been marked by unprecedented challenges, as the unrestricted distribution of cordon passes led to severe crowd control complications during Friday's Rath Yatra. The resulting congestion near Lord Jagannath's chariot caused substantial delay in the ceremonial chariot pulling ritual, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties and devotees alike regarding the administration's management of cordon pass distribution.
While the Puri district administration has not yet divulged the exact number of cordon passes issued for this year's festivities, sources indicated the figure could be 4,000 — a notable increase from the about 2,000 passes issued during the previous year's celebrations.
The issue was discussed during a review meeting in Puri, chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday. A senior police official who participated in the discussions revealed, "The CM has explicitly directed a reduction in cordon passes to facilitate better crowd management around the chariots."
SP (Puri) Pinak Mishra, acknowledged the administration's plan to restrict the number of cordon pass holders during Bahuda. "We will enforce rigorous restrictions on cordon pass usage during Bahuda. Access to the cordon area will be strictly limited to persons whose presence is deemed essential for the ceremony's conduct," Mishra explained in conversation with TOI.
He said to ensure robust implementation of these measures, police are establishing multiple enforcement teams. "These units will be tasked with thorough verification of credentials and identity documentation before permitting entry into the restricted cordon area. The enhanced security measures aim to prevent overcrowding," the Puri SP said.
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