The 146th Rath Yatra, of Lord Jagannath and his siblings – Balabhadra and Subhadra, commenced early on Tuesday packed with tight security as lakhs of devotees flooded the 18-km route of the procession to catch a glimpse of the lord. After the Mangla aarti, the blindfolds were removed and the lord was presented with traditional offerings of Khichda. Later the Rath Yatra procession was led after the Pahind vidhi of cleaning the path with a golden broom was carried out by CM Bhupendra Patel and in the presence of Amit Shah and Harsh Sanghavi.
The city management has this time included latest technology to avoid stampede like situations, glimpses from the Ahmedabad City Police Control Room shows the use of latest technologies of 3D mapping, layering, AI imaging. To enhance monitoring capabilities, 2,322 body-worn cameras and 25 vehicles equipped with CCTV and GPS systems are being utilised. Additionally, as a preventive measure against unauthorised unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), an anti-drone mechanism is deployed.
The security personnel, numbering 26,091, include members from the police and paramilitary units. They are being supported by a live feed from 94 strategically positioned CCTV cameras at 45 locations. Drone surveillance flights were conducted, amounting to 32 flights, to monitor sensitive areas. Furthermore, 250 points and 25 watch towers have been established to ensure effective monitoring of critical zones.
