Bhubaneswar: Ahead of Rath Yatra 2026, the Housing and Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha has prohibited the distribution of cooked food along Bada Danda, permitting only dry and packaged food items to be served to devotees during the festival.
The decision has been taken to maintain strict sanitation, hygiene, and public health standards as millions of pilgrims are expected to visit Puri for the annual chariot festival. Under the new directive, voluntary organisations, charitable groups, and donors will be allowed to distribute only dry food, replacing the traditional practice of serving freshly cooked meals along the Grand Road.
The directive was confirmed during a review of civic preparedness conducted by Usha Padhee. During the inspection, officials assessed arrangements to ensure smooth crowd management and essential public services throughout the festival.
To assist devotees, authorities are installing information boards across the city indicating the locations of authorised food stalls, drinking water facilities, and emergency medical centres.
As part of the comprehensive preparations, the administration has completed desilting of drainage channels, identified 24 designated parking zones, and deployed pump sets at 30 low-lying locations to minimise the risk of waterlogging during the monsoon.
Officials said the measures are aimed at ensuring a safe, clean, and well-organised Rath Yatra, providing a better experience for devotees, tourists, and dignitaries while maintaining high standards of public health and civic management.
