Jagannath rath yatra in Ahmedabad tomorrow

The city is all set to witness the 139th edition of Lord Jagannath's rath yatra tomorrow amidst tight security being pressed into service for the annual event.
As the procession will pass through some communally sensitive areas, more than 18,000 security personnel of local police and para-military forces will be deployed at strategic locations along the route.
Police said they have initiated action like preventive detention or externment against 10,000 anti-social elements to ensure a trouble-free event.
The rath yatra, having chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, will roll out at around 7.30 AM tomorrow from the 400-year old Jagannath temple in Jamalpur of the walled city.

The total length of rath yatra procession stretches up to 1.5 km and covers around 15 km route before returning to the temple after an almost 11-hour journey in the walled city during which it passes through several Muslim dominated areas, such as Jamalpur, Kalupur, Delhi Chakla, Shahpur, Prem Darwaja and Dariyapur.
The rath yatra will take a break for afternoon meal in Saraspur area of the city, which is considered as the Lord's maternal home, where around five lakh devotees will take food before starting their return journey at around 1.30 PM.

According to Jagannath temple trustee Mahendra Jha, BJP chief Amit Shah will participate in the 'Mangla Aarti' to be held at around 4 AM at the temple tomorrow.

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel is scheduled to perform 'pahind' ceremony (symbolic cleaning of road ahead of the yatra) at 7.05 AM before the procession starts.
Apart from the three holy chariots, the procession usually has 18 elephants, 101 trucks and 30 'akhadas'.
Since the procession is slated to pass from some communally sensitive areas, the police department is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a trouble-free event.
"We will deploy around 18,000 security personnel,
including central para-military forces, at various locations. The entire route will be monitored by us through a network of CCTV cameras. Some of the officers will be given wearable cameras, which will provide live feed to us," Bhatt said.

The personnel who would man the yatra include 9 IG and DIG level officers, 33 Superintendents of Police, 81 Deputy SPs, 250 Police Inspectors, 900 Police Sub-Inspectors, 8,000 constables, 5,600 Homeguards and 1,500 recruits undergoing training.
Also, 36 companies of State Reserve Police and 28 of Central Para-Military Forces, such as Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and Rapid Action Force will be deployed. Each company comprises around 60 to 80 personnel.
To prevent miscreants from using terrace of houses in narrow lanes, especially in the communally sensitive areas on the route, police will use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) called 'Netra', Bhatt said.

"Till now, we have taken action, such as preventive detention or externment, against 10,000 anti-social elements, as they may cause trouble that day. We are also holding meetings with local Hindu and Muslim leaders to ensure that the rath yatra passes off peacefully," Bhatt said.
Apart from the main rath yatra organised in Ahmedabad, a total of 148 different rath yatra processions of Lord Jagannath as well as of other deities will be held across the state tomorrow, including in major cities like Bhavnagar, Surat, Vadodara, Anand and Rajkot.