‘Suna Besha’ rush chokes roads to Puri: Parking lots exhausted; DGP, top cops monitor emergency traffic measures

BHUBANESWAR: The pilgrim town of Puri witnessed an unprecedented surge of devotees and tourists converging for the auspicious Suna Besha (golden appearance) ceremony of Lord Jagannath on Sunday, resulting in massive traffic congestion and prompting police authorities to implement emergency traffic management measures.By early morning, about 7:30 AM, all designated parking facilities, capable of accommodating 6,500 vehicles, were packed. According to police authorities such traffic flow has been witnessed for the first time during the Suna Besha festival.The sacred ceremony, coinciding with a Sunday, drew extraordinary crowds eager to witness the divine spectacle of the sibling deities - Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra - adorned in magnificent golden ornaments atop their respective chariots outside the 12th-century shrine.Although the ceremony featuring the deities in their golden avatar is scheduled for Sunday evening, devotees began gathering well before dawn, showing their unwavering devotion.The situation on the ground quickly escalated as severe traffic bottlenecks developed along all three major access routes to Puri from Bhubaneswar, Brahmagiri, and Konark. Commuters found themselves trapped in prolonged delays about 10 km away from their destination, with waiting times at critical junctions extending beyond two hours.

By 11 AM, local authorities reported an influx of more than 15,000 vehicles, overwhelming the available infrastructure and testing the limits of law enforcement personnel.In response to the escalating crisis, the local police authorities coordinated with their counterparts in Bhubaneswar and Khurda to implement immediate traffic control measures, including temporarily halting and diverting additional vehicle movement toward Puri.The morning situation posed serious concerns about crowd and traffic management for the peak evening hours when Suna Besha darshan starts.Police officials, grappling with limited parking infrastructure and logistical challenges, looked for alternative parking solutions while issuing real-time updates and advisories to pilgrims and tourists.“These communications aimed to help visitors better plan their arrivals and minimize the risk of extended traffic delays,” ADG Dayal Gangwar said.Historical data indicates that last year's Suna Besha celebration attracted over 23,000 vehicles to Puri. More recently, during this year's Rath Yatra’s third day on June 29, about 25,000 vehicles descended upon the holy city, contributing to a tragic incident outside the Gundicha temple where three devotees lost their lives in a stampede.As the unprecedented turnout has highlighted the urgent need for enhanced infrastructure and more robust crowd and traffic management, police said they are taking steps to accommodate the growing number of devotees participating in these sacred ceremonies while ensuring their safety and convenience.