The pilgrim town of Puri has been put under a thick security blanket with only 48 hours left for the famous Rath Yatra.

The security along the coastal belt, particularly near the Puri sea, has been tightened to pre-empt any attack on the town by terrorists using the sea route. The Coast Guard and the Indian Navy have been asked to remain on high alert. More than 10 lakh people are scheduled to visit Puri on July 7, the day of the Rath Yatra.

What is more important is that after the deities embark on a nine-day sojourn, the process of inventory of the treasure trove (Ratna Bhandar) of the 12th-century Jagannath temple will begin.

The state government has constituted a 16-member committee under the chairmanship of Justice Biswanath Rath, former judge of Orissa High Court, for this purpose. The new committee will supervise the inventorisation of valuables including jewellery stored in the inventory. Since the pulling of chariots will be held on July 7 and July 8, the inventory is likely to take place after July 8. A formal announcement to this effect will be made on Saturday.

Director-general of police, Arun Kumar Sarangi, said: “All marine police stations have been instructed to intensify extensive sea/land patrolling during the festival. All the measures have been taken for a peaceful Rath Yatra.”

The coastal security control room started operating on Friday at Penthakata in Puri to keep contact with the ships and air assets to be deployed during the car festival. “The Indian Coast Guard will conduct ship patrolling and keep standby interceptor boats at Paradip and Gopalpur from July 6 to July 9 and July 14 to July 19,” said a police official.

The Indian Coast Guard Air Wing will conduct air surveillance along the Puri coast by deploying their fixed-wing aircraft and advanced light helicopters in the morning and evening from July 6 to July 8 and from July 14 to July 18.

The Indian Navy will deploy a team of lifeguards and medical assistants at the Puri sea beach from July 6 to July 20 to perform lifesaving duties.

"Directorate of fisheries will provide two trawlers to be deployed at Astaranga and Chandrabhaga (Konark) and two small boats at Penthakata police station to keep watch on the movement of fishery boats,” said an official.

Besides, the fishery department will deploy Sagar Mitras and fishery officers at all the fish landing points to keep watch on the movement of the suspicious elements.

Puri will remain on high alert for nearly 12 days, starting from Saturday to July 19.

This year, the pulling of chariots will take place for two days — on July 7 and July 8 — because of various rituals associated with the Rath Yatra. This kind of situation had taken place in 1971. Though on the day of Rath Yatra, nearly 10 lakhs are expected to be congregated, during the entire 12 days the administration expects a footfall of nearly 49 lakh people to Puri.

The deities will return to the main temple on July 15, the day of the Bahuda Yatra. However, they will remain on the chariots for another four days in front of the main shrine and will re-enter the temple on July 19, the day of Niladri Vije. During that period, the famous Suna Vesha of the deities will be held on July 17, when they will be adorned with quintals of gold ornaments.