UP govt tightens security in Ayodhya ahead of Ram Navmi celebrations

The Uttar Pradesh government has tightened security in and around Ayodhya as lakhs of devotees are expected to flock to the city for Ram Navami celebrations, the first since the consecration ceremony at Ram Temple in January.

The festival will be celebrated in the city on a grand level and the state government has made elaborate arrangements for it, officials said.

The police administration has stepped up efforts to put all necessary security measures in place in view of the large influx of devotees, ensuring the smooth execution of this significant festival, they said.

In addition to securing the incoming devotees, the police have devised plans for crowd management and darshan and have estimated devotee numbers, they said.

Ram Navami Mela commenced in Ayodhya Dham on April 9 and will continue until Ram Navami to be held on April 17, attracting about 25 lakh devotees.

Many police personnel have been deployed at the mela. The mela grounds have been divided into seven zones and 39 sectors, while traffic management has been organised into two zones and 11 clusters, an official statement issued here said.

To oversee devotees' security throughout the event, there will be 11 additional superintendents of police, 26 deputy superintendents of police, 150 inspectors, 400 sub inspectors, 25 women sub inspectors, 1305 chief constables/constables, 270 women chief constables/constables, and 15 Company PACs, it said.

Additionally, two companies for flood relief, a team from SDRF and ATS, have been assigned duties.

An additional superintendent of police will supervise each zone, and each sector will have a designated deputy superintendent of police or inspector, it said.

To ensure safe darshan experiences, 15 drop-down barriers and 13 holding areas will be established along Ram Path. Continuous surveillance will be conducted via 111 CCTV cameras from the Control Room.

Water police will oversee security along the Saryu River and Ram ki Pauri, while police and PAC forces will be stationed at various temples and Mela grounds.

The movement of vehicles and devotees will be monitored using 24 cameras installed at key locations throughout Ayodhya Dham. Additionally, the inflow and outflow of vehicles and devotees will be analysed via cameras at the Gonda border, it said.

CCTV cameras installed in Ayodhya Dham will assess crowd levels and determine necessary traffic diversions at different locations. Five hundred sixty cameras will be installed in various control rooms across Ayodhya Dham to monitor devotees' movement.

Furthermore, real-time analysis of roads, streets, and parking areas will be conducted using two tethered and eight aerial drones. There will be ambulance and rescue teams stationed at key locations.