Cuttack ready for Rath, Eid

CUTTACK: The Millennium City will celebrate Eid and Rath Yatra amid tight security on Saturday. To ensure smooth conduct of the festivals, 30 platoons of police force will be deployed across the city.
Cuttack DCP Sanjeev Arora said a portion of the newly-constructed Link Road flyover was thrown open to the public on Friday. The flyover will help ease traffic on the Link Road as devotees, coming from Balasore, Bhadrak and Kolkata, can take the route to reach Puri.
The major Jagannath temples in the city have been directed to install CCTV cameras. Special guards will be deployed near the mosques and idgahs to ensure that devotees face no problem in offering prayers. The managing committees of various Jagannath temples and mosques have also decided to lend a helping hand to the police by deploying local volunteers to manage traffic and control crowd.
"Over 200 local youths will work as volunteers on Saturday," said member of Ranihat Jagannath Temple Trust B K Sahoo.
Cuttack has over 40 mosques while Rath Yatra is celebrated in grand manner across the city. Hence, police and traffic officials will be on their toes. Besides security, the commissionerate of police have chalked out special traffic management plans to deal with congestion.
Police have also identified some sensitive areas, which are prone to group clash or violence. There will be special vigil on these areas.
Sources said some of the sensitive areas are Mangalabag, Lalbag, Purighat, Dolamundai, Seminary Chhak, Balu Bazaar and Sheikh Bazaar.
Jagannath temples at Dolamundai, Ranihat and Chandni Chowk roll out big chariots hence police have decided to impose restrictions in these areas to ensure smooth movement of the chariots. The stretch from Haripur to Dolamundai will be declared 'no entry zone' in the afternoon. Vehicular movement will also be restricted on Ranihat-College Square stretch.