Puri Police Use Drones, AI Cameras to Manage Massive Suna Besha Crowd in Puri
Puri, July 6 – As lakhs of devotees gathered in Puri to witness Lord Jagannath’s grand Suna Besha (golden attire) on Sunday, Odisha Police ramped up security and crowd control efforts using drones and AI-powered cameras.
The police warned devotees to follow all traffic and safety advisories as the rush continues to grow. “Vehicle inflow from Bhubaneswar is increasing rapidly,” said ADG (Traffic) Dayal Gangwar. “To avoid congestion, dynamic diversions are being implemented at Batgaon and Malatipatpur. Current wait time is 20–30 minutes.”
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan stated that an estimated 15 lakh devotees are expected in Puri for Suna Besha. “Just last night, around 2 lakh devotees had darshan of the deities. The administration is taking all necessary steps to manage the crowd,” he said.
According to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Suna Besha rituals will be open for public viewing from 6:30 PM to 11 PM on Sunday.
Due to the massive influx of pilgrims overnight, all parking areas in the city are nearly full. Vehicles are now being redirected to Talabania and Sterling based on availability. Police have urged devotees to expect longer wait times at Batgaon and Malatipatpur.
Odisha DGP Y.B. Khurania is personally overseeing operations from the Integrated Crowd Control Centre (ICCC). “We request all devotees to cooperate and follow advisories for a safe and smooth darshan experience,” he said. “Like during Rath Yatra and Bahuda, we are using drone surveillance and AI cameras to manage the crowds and traffic.”
Officials confirmed that a continuous stream of devotees kept arriving on Saturday night, as the deities remained on their chariots and were accessible for darshan without the usual Pahuda (rest period).
All morning rituals were completed on Sunday, and the sibling deities—Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra—remained seated on their chariots: Nandighosh, Darpadalan, and Taladwaj respectively, stationed in front of the Lion’s Gate (Singha Dwar) of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple.
The Bahuda Yatra, marking the return journey of the deities, concluded smoothly on Saturday under tight security and with full cooperation from temple servitors.
In light of a stampede on June 29 near the Shree Gundicha Temple, where three devotees lost their lives, police have significantly increased crowd management efforts for Suna Besha.
SJTA Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Padhee appealed to all devotees and stakeholders to extend full cooperation to ensure a peaceful and well-managed celebration of the sacred rituals.
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