Tripura District Administration Implements Safety Measures for Rath Yatra Following Tragic Incident

After last year's tragic incident during the Ulta Rath Yatra in Kumarghat, Tripura's West Tripura district administration has mandated that the height of Lord Jagannath's chariots be kept below five feet. Various safety measures, including infrastructure inspections and increased police presence, have been implemented to ensure a safe festival.

In response to last year's devastating incident at Kumarghat in Tripura's Unakoti district where ten devotees tragically lost their lives during the Ulta Rath Yatra, the West Tripura district administration has taken significant steps aimed at preventing a repeat. On Friday, officials announced that organizers must keep the height of Lord Jagannath's chariots under five feet.

'We convened a meeting with all stakeholders of the upcoming Rath Yatra festival, scheduled to commence on July 7. We have mandated that the height of the chariots not exceed 5 feet to avoid incidents like Kumarghat. Additionally, we emphasized minimizing the use of metal in the construction of chariots,' West Tripura district magistrate Vishal Kumar told reporters. He added that the Public Works Department (PWD) and Tripura Electricity Corporation Ltd (TECL) will inspect the proposed chariots, with TECL specifically tasked with checking transmission lines along the designated routes of the Rath Yatra.

Kumar further assured that necessary measures, including the deployment of ambulances and a heightened police presence, will be in place to prevent any untoward incidents. He stated that all stakeholders, including TSECL, PWD, Traffic Police, regular police, and fire and emergency services, are working together to ensure a safe and accident-free celebration of the Rath Yatra.

The proactive measures follow the tragic event on June 29, 2023, when ten devotees died of electrocution and 16 others were injured as a heavily decorated iron rath came into contact with a high-tension wire in Unakoti district.

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