Bhubaneswar, Dec. 26 -- With the New Year approaching, Puri is witnessing a steady rise in the influx of devotees, leading to long queues outside the Srimandir for darshan of Lord Jagannath. The footfall has been increasing day by day, prompting the administration to intensify crowd management and security arrangements across the pilgrim town.

Officials anticipate a further surge in devotees on December 31 and January 1, traditionally marking peak pilgrimage days.

To regulate the movement of devotees and prevent overcrowding, barricading arrangements have reportedly been put in place from Srinar to Bagala Dharmashala. These measures are aimed at streamlining entry routes leading to the Srimandir and ensuring smooth crowd flow during pea...