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Bhubaneswar: Temple City Bhubaneswar is all set to celebrate the annual nine-day Rath Yatra with great pomp and devotion starting Friday. Thousands of devotees are expected to take part in chariot pulling at different places.Altogether 54 large and small chariots will roll, including that of ISKCON in Nayapalli, KISS campus, RCM campus, VSS Nagar, Vani Vihar, Rental Colony, Jagamara, Kolathia, Siripur, Baramunda, Old Town, and other localities where Jagannath temples are located.”We are expecting about 3 to 4 lakh devotees to throng the Rath Yatra celebrations and participate in chariot pulling on Friday. The govt authorities, including police, BMC, fire personnel, health department, and other line departments, have assured to provide all support for the smooth conduct of the festival,” said Radhakanta Das, spokesperson of ISKCON temple at Nayapalli, one of the major crowd pullers in the city.To ensure smooth conduct of the festival, the commissionerate police has made elaborate security and traffic arrangements across the city. “Over 17 platoons of police force will be deployed across key chariot procession points. We are coordinating with temple committees to ensure the rituals go smoothly, while also maintaining law and order,” said a senior police officer.Barricades have been put up in areas expecting heavy footfall.Traffic diversions and no-parking zones have been notified near major chariot routes. Quick Response Teams (QRTs), anti-sabotage squads, and CCTV surveillance have also been put in place, police said.Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken up sanitation, drinking water supply, and temporary toilet arrangements. “We want the devotees to have a comfortable and safe darshan experience. Special focus is on cleanliness and hygiene, considering the monsoon,” said mayor Sulochana Das.The chariots will be pulled amidst colourful processions accompanied by troupes of various folk dance, music, and sankirtan performers. For many residents, the local Rath Yatra is a cherished spiritual tradition. “I have been pulling the chariot in our locality for over 15 years. It’s not just a festival, but an important community gathering,” said Radhakanta Das, 65, a resident of VSS Nagar.At several temples, the chariot of goddess Subhadra will be pulled exclusively by women devotees. Volunteers have been engaged for crowd management and smooth conduct of the festival across the city. Cultural programmes, bhajan sessions, and community feasts and prasad distribution are also being organised by local committees to add to the festive spirit.